The Changing Tide
by Athena's Wisdom90
Summary: Lily is proud, intelligent, and wild. James is haughty, calm, and confident. For years they've been locked in a simmering battle of wits, and then one day everything changes because of one little word she says that sends his heart reeling: brilliant.
1. The Snitch: 1

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** I just discovered that was replacing all my "O. W. Ls" with "O." so all chapters are being edited and fixed. Sorry for this! Henceforth, O.W.L will be abbreviated OWL. Thanks!

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><p><strong>Fifth Year<strong>

**1**

Her emerald eyes sweep between me and Professor McGonagall's glaring gaze, I can feel her scrutiny. She's going to snitch, like she always does. My heart is pounding and past McGonagall's window, the sun is starting to creep over the horizon. Want to know what's funny? Regurgitating toilets in the Slytherin bathrooms. Want to know what is definitely not funny? Expulsion because Snivellus got a damned porcelain shard in his eye when he tried to hex the toilets back to normal. How the hell is it my fault that he was that stupid? Lily Evans, Prefect, Muggle-born, and the biggest snitch in Gryffindor, caught Sirius and I running back to the dorms after hours. She found out about the Slytherin prank and woke McGonagall as soon as Snivelly came whining. I swear, he's like her pet or something. Of course, Evans is such a snitch, I don't care what weird freaky things she's doing in bed with that greasy-haired git.

And now, McGonagall is looking at me over her glasses in that creepy, you-are-so-busted look that makes me want to gag. Lily is looking anxious, probably because she's never busted me like this before. Most of her punishments were snitching about me throwing rocks or deducting points. I just roll my eyes and slide my glasses down to give McGonagall a similar look. She releases a frustrated sigh. "Mr. Potter, this is a very severe offense." That's how she _always_ begins. "You have caused severe bodily injury to a fellow student." Severe? He got a _microscopic_ shard in his freaking eye! He won't go blind! "Your parents have been contacted and should be arriving soon."

"My parents?" I balk. I don't have "parents," I have grandparents that are my acting parents. You see, my real parents got sick and died. Some wizarding illness epidemic that trashed Godric's Hollow got them and nearly killed off a whole population.

"Grandparents," McGonagall amends. "Dumbledore will be in shortly to discuss the penalty with you."

Fear drops in my gut and I am filled with a rabid hatred for Snivellus and Evans. I'd love it if the two of them eloped and dropped off the face of the damned Earth! There would be no more snitching or expulsion. "Wait, so I _am_ going to be expelled?" I ask, my voice rising.

"I didn't say that, Mr. Potter, calm down."

I rake my fingers through my untidy black hair. "I can't be expelled yet! I'm only _fifteen_!" I cry.

"Professor, he's right," Lily intervenes. I whip around so fast I almost break my neck. Lily has something I've never seen before on her face: kindness. Her brow is furrowed slightly and her abnormally green eyes are firm. "Severus wasn't hurt and it was just a simple prank. No one was out and about, so they wouldn't have been hurt."

I can't believe it; snitching Lily is sticking up for me! What the hell is wrong with the world? She must want something. But, since I have no clue what she could possibly want, I let it go. "Potter is... well, he's a strange boy," Lily says, making me doubt myself, "but he's a good person at heart." A shiver runs down my spine: _no one_ has ever said I'm a good person. "He just likes attention and... well, truthfully, he and Severus have this war going on between each other. This was probably retaliation."

Alright, yes, I get tired of Snivellus spying on us, so my boys and I get even by ripping on him. It's all in good fun, well, good revengeful fun. Lily bites her lip as McGonagall mulls this over. "Ms. Evans, are you standing up for Mr. Potter?"

Red splashes across Lily's cheeks. "I just mean that he's as human as I am. He deserves a second chance. Please, Professor?" She rakes her tongue over her top lip. "If it helps, I may have told Severus to look out for Potter and his friends."

I'm too flabbergasted to speak: Evans is taking the blame! Harpy Evans is taking the blame! McGonagall's gaze sharpens. "Are you taking responsibility for this?"

"It is partially my fault," Lily insists. I stare at her, wondering if she knows she can lose her badge for this. "You should punish both Potter and I."

McGonagall releases a breath. "Since Mr. Snape is in good condition, and no other students were out and about, I am letting you each off with a firm fifty points from Gryffindor. Ms. Evans, you would ordinarily have to turn in your badge, but since you were noble enough to step up, I will let you off with a warning. Dismissed."

I follow Lily out the door, where Severus and Sirius are waiting with seething looks aimed at each other. Snivellus has a damp cloth attached to his left eye; though it is falling off and his eye is fine, save for a bit of bloodshot. He brightens when he sees Lily, and glares at me. "So, did you get that cad punished?" he asks, not a bit too eager.

I roll my eyes and slap a high-five with Sirius. "Padfoot, you won't believe it; snitching Evans stood up for me and I got off with just a fifty-point offense," I quip, crushing Snivelly's hope.

Lily approaches me, a dangerous look in her gaze. "Don't be too pleased with yourself, Potter. It wasn't for you. I did this so that your grandparents wouldn't have to deal with your expulsion." She pokes her finger in my chest. "You're still a spineless weasel that needs to be brought down a few notches."

I chuckle. "Padfoot, go back without me." Sirius gawks at me, like I'm some kind of weird for wanting to stand around with Evans and Snivelly. I shrug and he lopes off, probably on his way to that Ravenclaw he's been eyeing.

"Sev, you can go back, your eye will need medicine," Lily tells Snivellus. He frowns at her, but she smiles and he scuttles away. Once our friends are gone, Lily and I drop the glares and just stare emptily at each other. Her eyes are vibrant and piercing under the dim glow of morning and the dying torches. "Every time I save your arse from expulsion, this is the thanks I get. I'm getting tired of it, Potter."

"Every time?" I echo.

Lily rolls her eyes. "Yes, remember the Shrieking Shack? Or how about the spiders in our first year? Or when you hexed my skin and hair green third year? From now on, you should look after your own self."

A warm feeling crawls in my chest. "Why would snitching Evans care for me?"

Lily snorts. "Don't get so full of yourself. I just hate seeing someone as smart as you come so close to being expelled." Lily thinks I'm smart? Maybe I've stayed up too late. "You are so brilliant, yet you drag yourself down with stupid pranks; you waste your own brilliance, Potter." She shakes her head, rustling her dark red hair. "For that reason, and that reason only, I stand up for you. Someone has to look after your loose screws." She takes off down the hallway and pauses, turning to give me a filthy look. "But we're not friends or anything, got that?" she snaps.

In spite of everything that's happened, I flash her a grin. "Sure thing, Evans." I take the long way back to the Common Room, a slight bounce ebbing at my step. There's a strange warmth in my heart and in the days to come, my gaze will follow Lily across the room. Sirius will look at me tonight as I enter the Common Room like I've gotten drunk off butterbeer, but I don't care. Someone thinks I'm brilliant and not in the stupid or funny way my friends do. Lily showed me something tonight that I have never seen before: respect.

At breakfast the next morning, I see Lily talking to a petite blonde, Mary MacDonald, and I see the most wonderful thing: Lily is smiling. She has such a delicate smile, one that lightly parts her lips and gently creases her eyes. "Ahem," Sirius coughs. The dampness of my pants, coupled with the emptiness of my glass brings me back to my side of the table. "Looked like you were staring at Evans there, Prongs."

I gape at him and then drop my head. "Yeah, I was."

"What? Potter likes Evans?" Pettigrew chimes in. I cringe at his loudness.

"Can it, Wormy, or I'll _can_ you," Sirius snips. He grins at me. "Too bad she hates your guts."

"Yeah," I distractedly answer. Lily is talking to Severus, and there is a blatant frown on her face. She shakes her head, Snivelly flashes her a pleading look, and she says something that I can't hear over the noise of the Great Hall. Whatever just happened, Lily turns back around and Snivellus trudges back to his table. Mary MacDonald is now sheet white and she is pulling at Lily's sleeve, fear branded in her blue eyes. Anyone who does that to a girl, especially sweet, congenial Mary, has to have a stick up their ass. I'm on my feet before Sirius can point out the juice on my crotch, not that I care. I stride over to the Slytherin table, fuming with rage.

"Hey, Snivellus," I bark.

Severus looks up from his cereal and shoots me a cool look. "Nice pants," he drones.

"What the hell did you do to Mary?"

"Nothing, leave me alone."

Burning rage cools into a scheme. "Hey, Padfoot, get over here!" I cry. Sirius meanders over, twirling his wand. "I think we got ourselves a problem."

"Go away," Severus snips coldly. He rises from his chair, though, and draws his wand like he suddenly has skills to speak of.

"This fellow here was torturing Mary, you see," I chime to Sirius.

Sirius clucks his tongue. "Pretty girls don't deserve your harassment, Snivelly."

"It isn't my fault the Mudblood is a snitch!" Severus blurts. The entire Great Hall draws still, even the Prefects, the Head Girl, the Head Boy; they're all watching us. Lily is on her feet, her wand drawn as Mary is bolting out of the hall.

"Hmm, I'd like to try out a new hex I learned, but I don't know how it goes," I mutter, drawing my own wand and tapping it against my chin.

"I think I know the one, mate," Sirius chimes in. We flash each other identical grins and wave our wands just as Severus is drawing his down in a firm slant. Pain splinters across my chest and I crash to the floor, spots dotting my vision and blood staining my robes and hands as I try to stop the mad bleeding. Lily lets out a shriek and everyone in the Great Hall gasps. I hear the patter of feet against the stone floor and a familiar set of green eyes flashes before my vision.

"Stay with us, Potter. Sev, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Yeah, Snivelly, why don't you tell your girlfriend here all about your double personality!" Sirius hisses. "Someone go get Pomfrey!" is the last thing I hear before I fade into darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Okay, before someone goes: Sev hater!1111 There is a reason for this, I mean, think about it: Severus hacked off George's ear, 'member? One more thing, he probably does have a dual side, how else would he be able to do that? I don't think James just up and bullied Sev for no reason; I think it was Sev's stalking that lead to it. That is pretty annoying, having a random person following you around. O.o


	2. The Snitch: 2

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** I just discovered that was replacing all my "O. W. Ls" with "O." so all chapters are being edited and fixed. Sorry for this! Henceforth, O.W.L will be abbreviated OWL. Thanks!

* * *

><p><strong>Fifth Year<strong>

**2**

**Lily**

Severus backpedals out of the hall and the rest of the Marauders cluster around James, all with worried looks branded on their faces. Sirius has his face bent in concentration, waving his wand over his friend's gaping wound. The bleeding stills, but it is evident that James will need medical care. I take a deep breath and make a beeline out of the hall, nearly bumping into Dumbledore as I go. He chuckles lightly as I steady myself, his blue eyes crinkling behind his half-moon glasses. "Where are we going in such a hurry, Ms. Evans?"

"Potter is hurt," I answer. "He has to get to the hospital wing soon or..."

"Good thing I'm here then." From behind Dumbledore comes Madame Pomfrey, her round face grim. "Show me in."

I nod and lead her into the Great Hall, following close behind as the crowd parts. Madame Pomfrey kneels down next to James, who is eerily pale and is breathing in slow, ragged gasps. "Oh dear, what happened?" she asks me.

"Se- Snape slashed his wand across the air and then Potter was flying backwards and bleeding," I stammer.

Sirius nods, a look of rage burning in his blue eyes. "Yeah, the git nearly killed him."

"It wasn't his fault!" a Slytherin protests. A measly third year with pale blonde hair stumbles forward. "Potter and Black were all at odds with Severus just 'cause he called MacDonald a Mudblood!"

"Fifty points from Slytherin," Madame Pomfrey snaps. The kid gapes at her. "For using such language." She withdraws her wand and flicks it lightly, transforming one of the hanging tapestries into a stretcher. "A week in the hospital wing should do the trick." She turns to me. "Find Mr. Snape, he will be punished for this."

I bite my lip, remembering the peculiar words he'd said to me over breakfast. _"Lily, come on, it wasn't my fault that Mulciber did that!" Severus had cried. _

_I shook my head. "Sev, it doesn't matter. You're losing sight of who you are." _

_"Please, Lily," Severus pleaded. _

_Mary snickered next to me, lowering her eyes as Sev threw her a dirty look. "Why don't you stick with your own kind, Mudblood?" _

_I shook my head more firmly, my gaze steeling. "Go, Snape, now." He gaped at me, too stunned to move for a second, and then he trudged back to his table. _

_Mary pulled at my sleeve, her face sheet white. "Lily, I uh, have to go freshen up for a bit." _

_"You can't take what he says seriously, Mary, he's just..." _

_"I know, b-but I think I'm gonna go get ready for class," Mary insisted, stumbling out of her chair. She practically sprinted out of the hall. _

"Alright," I agree. I head into the hallway, letting the cool air clear my murky thoughts. Sev, once kind and caring, has become a monster. He's like the rest of _them_, proud and arrogant. I don't like this new Sev, especially now that he's torturing my friends. I have no desire to speak to him, not after the way he treated Mary, but he's at his usual spot: right outside the Gryffindor tower. I fold my arms. "Get back down there; you have to face what you did."

Severus takes a breath. "Please, Lily, I never meant to do that."

I chuckle dryly. "You mean almost kill Potter, or are you talking about the incident with Mary?"

Severus blanches. "I am sorry."

"Sorry is getting old, Sev. Either you get some new friends, or we are done."

Color tints his cheeks. "What about the Marauders? What about them? You never criticize anything they do!"

"They don't torture people!" I snarl. A shiver runs down my spine. "Do you even know the nightmares Mary had about that?"

"It wasn't my fault!" Severus cries.

"You used her as a cutting board!" I spurt, my temper unraveling. "Like hell it wasn't your fault!" I take a long, shuddering breath. "Get down there, forty points from Slytherin." I shove past him and mutter the password to the portrait of the fat lady, who readjusts the bosoms of her pink gown.

"You could be nicer!" she tuts. I roll my eyes and crawl through the portrait hole, smiling as it slams shut. For now, I am free from Sev. Part of me wants to blame Slytherin, but then I remember the innocent smile Regulus Black flashed me last year when I rewarded him with points for snitching on his brother. He's a Slytherin too, and he doesn't have the wickedness that I see pounding in Sev.

"Lily?" I turn and flash a smile at Mary, who is still pale, but looking rosier now. "Was that Severus I heard?"

"Yeah, he's gone, though," I assure her.

Mary's heart-shaped face lights up with a smile. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

"What's with all the noise? You guys are worse than a bunch of jabbering chipmunks," a new voice huffs. Past Mary, a petite brunette with a bob sheared just past her ears appears in the dormitory doorway. Her brown eyes latch onto me and narrow with recognition. "Evans," she sighs. "Why am I not surprised?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I challenge.

"Nothing, nothing, I can just hear you a mile away is all." She is Marie Snowe, a girl that is known for flirting around and, like Sirius, sleeping around. She also condones the pranks the Marauders do and occasionally participates in them. She's a chief member of the Dueling Club and is barely passing Potions. Marie is mostly known for being a veteran Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She pals around with James and they've probably done other things too, though recently she's been sticking to a gaggle of Ravenclaw and Slytherin girls. Still, even those girls are not as bad as Sev and his gang of cronies.

"Marie, be nice," Mary tuts. Yes, she's one of Marie's friends, but everyone likes Mary. She's sweet and makes lemonade for the Quidditch team whenever they win.

"Why? If it wasn't for Evans here, I could've played last year's game and we could've won. But, because you had to point out that I cut three classes, I ended up sitting out."

I roll my eyes. "Enough about that, Potter is in the hospital wing; Sev sliced him up pretty bad."

Marie blinks and then smirks. "Guess your little boyfriend isn't so saintly now, hmm?" she leers. She runs her fingers through her hair, ruffling it even further.

"I'm beginning to see that, yes," I snap.

"Mary, how are those scars?" Marie asks, bringing a new reality forward. Mary has scars. I swivel to face her and her cheeks burn pink.

"I couldn't tell you, Lils, I knew you'd worry."

"Yes, of course. I mean, scarring? Mary, that's pretty serious," I say. "How could you not tell me?"

"Because..."

"I don't blab," Marie interrupts. She whisks up one of Mary's robe sleeves to reveal a series of pale lines striking the girl's flesh like ripples in water. A gasp falls from my lips; why didn't I know about this?

"You see, you're overreacting," Mary drones.

"And you're letting a _delinquent_ care for your scars?" I shoot back.

Marie bends her head over the scars, pulling her wand out. She taps the wand tip over the scars, muttering a gentle lull that causes green light to ebb from the wand. I watch the light cover the lines and then dissipate, leaving fainter traces of scar. "Delinquent?" Marie teases, stepping back to admire her work. She also runs a match-making business, using gray "Patronus pops" that supposedly turn the color that emulates the personality of the user and develop a brand of the person's Patronus if placed under her pillow overnight. Whoever's Patronus pop matches another's directly, both in color and in Patronus animal, is their soul mate. Mary heavily buys into it and has been dating Norman Larson for a year now because of those candies, but I don't think "soul mates" exist. If people like Mulciber exist, how can soul mates?

"I study more than you might think," Marie says. She cracks her knuckles. "Other arm, Mary."

Watching the otherwise brutal Marie perform these healing spells, I am left astounded. "Are you going into medicine?"

Marie looks up, surprise flickering in her eyes. "What?"

"OWLs are this year, remember? We'll be asked about our career choices."

"Ooh, you should!" Mary agrees. "You're so good at patching people up, Marie!"

Marie furrows her brow. "Yeah, maybe. I forgot OWLs were this year."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Mary encourages.

Marie giggles. "Sure." She glances in my direction. "We all know Evans will be acing them."

"Not true!" I argue. "I have to study the same way you do."

Marie rolls her eyes and performs her healing charm on Mary's other arm. "Sure you do. We all know you have got these teachers eating right out of your hand."

"That is not true!"

"Lils," Mary intervenes, "it _is_ true."

I sigh and cross my arms, jerking my head aside in a huff. "Alright," I relent, "maybe it is a _little_ true."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Marie and Lily have kind of a Usagi/Rei friendship. You know, they're on and off. I think Lily would be the type to attract those kinds of friends and we've all had them. Or, we've known people with them. :) Um, not much to say here, except that Lily is getting increasingly horrified by what she sees in Severus and yeah, in this story she rewarded Regulus for snitching on Sirius and the Marauders. XD I imagine Regulus would've done that, he just seems like the type, ya know. One more thing: the incident with Mary and Mulciber is never clearly mentioned, but I'm guessing this is what it was. That is pretty gory, but think about it: it is Slytherin and _Mulciber_.


	3. The Snitch: 3

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** I just discovered that was replacing all my "O. W. Ls" with "O." so all chapters are being edited and fixed. Sorry for this! Henceforth, O.W.L will be abbreviated OWL. Thanks!

* * *

><p><strong>Fifth Year<strong>

**3**

**Lily**

James is awake when I visit this evening. He's sitting up in bed, his lids half-closed and his lips drawn into a medicated smile. "Hey, Evans," he slurs. "I was hoping you'd come."

I take a seat next to his bed. "Potter, its November and already you're getting banged up."

"I am not banged up," James chastises, his slur disappearing. "I'm perfectly fine." I can see part of the stitches poking up past the collar of his hospital robe.

"Why did you do that?" I demand.

"Do what?" James asks, faking innocence.

"You know... push Sev like that."

James's nonchalant demeanor vanishes into a firm severity. "He hurt Mary MacDonald."

"Yes, but you didn't have to stoke the fire and now he's..."

"He's going to what, Evans? Be expelled? No, of course not because he's _your_ friend. He almost killed me and I got one measly speck of porcelain in his eye and McGonagall is all over me. But, when Snivellus nearly slaughters me and your friend, he gets off Scott-free!" James barks. His rising voice stirs several resting patients and earns us both a glare from Pomfrey.

"That isn't true," I insist. My heart is clenching with guilt because Potter is right. Sev will get off just for knowing me and being in Horace Slughorn's house. For once, I don't want Sev to go free, but what can I do? I'm not a Slytherin Prefect.

"Yeah, it is. You aren't even here because you want to be. You're just here because you felt obligated to come. Don't worry, Evans, I'm not dead because of your stupid friend," James drones. He falls back into his pillows, turning his back to me. "Just go away."

Frustration ebbs in my veins. "Look, I came here because I'm thankful that you stood up for Mary," I say. "And I'm thankful that you stood up for Muggle-borns in general. It means a lot that you did that." I rise to my feet, this talk is over. "At least look at me, Potter." I touch him lightly on the shoulder and he jumps up, his hazel eyes wide.

"Don't touch me," he growls, his cheeks dark red. "Just go on your merry way, Evans."

"Alright, suit yourself, Potter. See if I ever thank you again," I huff, storming out of the hospital wing. What an ungrateful cad! How dare he turn away me when I'm _thanking_ him! I wish I could strangle him, or at the very least, hex him into being nice. But, I know he's nearly been killed by my friend and that probably makes me the last person he wants to see. I can't blame him for that, though I really want to.

Marie is waiting outside, her hands stuffed in her pockets. When she sees me, she straightens and tilts her head. "You were visiting James?"

"Yes," I curtly respond, "not that it's your business, but I was."

"Hmm, odd," Marie snickers, shuffling into the hospital wing. When she's gone, I remember the big bruise marring her cheek and am half-tempted to go in demanding what happened. I shake my head and wander to my patrol location.

Remus Lupin, my fellow Prefect, is waiting for me, looking a tad pale. He's hiding something, but I know it isn't anything conniving or wicked like Sev seems to believe. Remus is a good person, through and through. He has none of James' social disorder. "I'll take the southeast corridor?" he proposes.

"I'll take the libraries and the northeast corridor," I distantly reply. My thoughts are blurred with that vision of James, pale and angry in his hospital bed. I am thrown back to last night, when McGonagall was about to expel James for a measly patch of pottery that had gotten in Sev's eye. There was no real harm in it; it had just been a friendly prank of school rivalry.

Patrol is slow tonight, with no more than a few students lingering after hours. Most of those students are upperclassmen, all cramming for exams. The silence of the hallways and the emptiness of the libraries do nothing to still my churning nerves that I have to do something about this war Sev has with James. This violence and humiliation must stop, or else those two will tear each other apart. But, I can't stop the hatred that has bloomed between them: Sev loathes the Marauders because of their popularity. He stalks them, seeking anything he can use as evidence to tattle. I admit that I too have tattled on the Marauders, but I don't seek them out each hour of the day. Anyone would feel offended and attacked by that behavior, especially James, who is known for having a temper when prodded.

Sev is outside Gryffindor Tower tonight, his cheeks ruddy under the light. Remus is either inside, or late, and I do not want to face Sev alone. "What do you want?" I ask, striding past him.

"I... wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to Mary and Potter," I simplify.

"Lily, I don't want to fight," Sev pleads.

"You know, Regulus Black is also in Slytherin and he doesn't act like you do. He still has friends, but he doesn't go around slicing people's torsos open."

Sev's gaze hardens. "Potter drove me to it, Lily, he pestered me..."

"Look," I interrupt, narrowing my eyes, "I don't care about this war you and Potter have going on, all I know is that it has to stop. You've been stalking the Marauders since third year and they're understandably fed up with it. Sev, you're obsessive."

"You can't side with them!" Sev insists. "They're in the wrong, not me! They humiliate me and..."

"Because you stalk them. All I'm saying is that you should lay off." I fold my arms. "And I think maybe you should go back to bed. I'll talk to you in the morning when my head is clear."

Sev takes a deep breath. "Don't tell me you're siding with them, Lily, please don't."

I slip a look at him, his eyes are directed at the floor, and his mouth is taut. "I'm not siding with anyone, Sev; I just want this to stop. You started it, therefore you should finish it. If you have a problem with the Marauders, confront them in a verbal way." That's all I say before I turn to the Fat Lady and give her my password. I clamber into the Common Room, drink in the warmth of the cackling fire, and head off to bed.

That night, I dream I'm sitting by the lake, a smile stretched across my face as I talk with my friends. A shadow rises from the water, sending nearby students scattering while I stand in confusion as forms drift out of the dark mass. Studying the bodies emerging from the water, I realize with a gasp that the one at the front is Severus Snape, robed in black, his eyes slit with indifference. I take off running into the forest, but a tingle of magic strikes my back, sending me to the ground. As my vision darkens, I see Sev looming over me, his lips curved upward. "Good-bye, Mudblood."

"Lily!"

My eyes snap open to the concerned gazes of my friends and dorm mates, their faces shrouded in shadow and moonlight. "Is she alright?" one of the girls calls.

"Yeah," I lie, rubbing my head. Ice is running down my spine in the form of cold sweat, and my heart is a mess of wild thuds. "Just a bad dream."

"More like a night terror," Marie drones. She folds her arms, giving me a knowing look. "Go back to sleep!" she snaps at the onlookers. A few of the girls growl under their breaths, but obey the command.

"What was it?" Mary whispers.

I shake my head. "Sev, he killed me." My friends pale and share anxious looks. "What?" I bark, not liking their secret exchange.

Mary draws a breath. "Well, Marie and I have been talking for some time now about you and... Sev. We think maybe you ought to..."

"Drop him like a dead rat," Marie interrupts. "He's no good, Lily, just look at what kind of dreams he's giving you. The kid is freakier than my uncle's bagpipe-playing."

They're right, my friends are always right and it kills me every time. But, Sev isn't like those Slytherins. He's not a Regulus, but Sev has goodness in him that he knows how to use. I just know he does... at least, I hope he does. "I'm going back to bed."

"Fine, don't acknowledge it," Marie gripes. "But just remember that I warned you."

"I don't need your warnings."

"Girls, don't fight," Mary coos. I flop into my pillows and force my eyes shut, hoping that the vision of Sev's wicked smirk will disappear. Needless to say, it doesn't, and I am chased by blinding green lights throughout the night. When I wake in the morning, Marie tells me I look like I've been bludgered in both eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Okay, Severus is... well, he was a DeathEater, guys and gals. Plain and simple, and though I don't like him, I am trying to give him a better rap here. However, he hacked off a Weasley's ear, tortured Harry with extra lessons, punishments, and basically blaming him for Severus's own lack of love. Still, I will not degrade Sev as I did back in my amateur fic-writing days. But, Lily's friends are concerned for her and since she just had a dream of her Slytherin friend killing her after he hacked apart James, I can see why.


	4. The Snitch: 4

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** I just discovered that was replacing all my "O. W. Ls" with "O." so all chapters are being edited and fixed. Sorry for this! Henceforth, O.W.L will be abbreviated OWL. Thanks!

* * *

><p><strong>Fifth Year<strong>

**4**

**James**

Leave it to Remus to bring me the one thing I don't want: homework. Yet, this afternoon he makes sure to put the huge pile of assignments and exercises I've missed next to my bed. Lily's words pound in my ears: _"You're wasting that brilliance_._"_ For some strange reason, I want to please her. Maybe it's because she's the only one who has ever said that I'm brilliant, or maybe it's because she's the only girl that hasn't lost her self-respect around me. I don't know, but I do know that I want to make her proud. Maybe it's a side-effect of the medicine.

"You know, you don't have to pick on Snape so much," Remus says, sitting down at my bedside. I throw him a gaping stare. "I mean, what's he done to you?"

"Stalked us, mostly. And then, he's just so... cowardly."

Remus narrows his brown eyes. "How?"

"He lets Evans fight his battles for him and he hides behind his Slytherin friends whenever he's caught. The bloke has no guts."

Remus sighs heavily. "Just stop with the battles already, this is getting out of hand. Prongs, if you keep this up, you won't get a job when you finish school. No one wants to hire a delinquent."

My heart plummets because he's right. I can't get a job if I keep mocking Snivellus and pulling pranks. "Then, after this year you want to break up the Marauders?" I ask.

Color drains from Remus' face. "I... well, maybe. I mean, we've had a good run, but this is getting out of control."

I run my hand over my chest, feeling the stitches through the robe. Pomfrey said wizardry couldn't heal my gaping wound alone, and that stitching is a better method for things like this. I don't think there is a better method for things like this, and there is no better method for the Marauders anymore. My battles with Snivelly have gotten out of control, the sooner I end them, the better. "Fine, no more Marauders after this year."

"Potter?" My head snaps to the doorway quicker than I want it to and I can see the surprise in Lily's face. "Am I interrupting something?" Her arms are also full of papers and books, great. What is with these people? Don't they get that I don't want to do homework after nearly bleeding to death?

Remus is watching me intently, a smirk ebbing at his lips as Lily glides into the room. Lily sets my additional homework on top of Remus's gifts. "It isn't that I like you or anything, I just don't want to see your grades sink because of... this." She glares at me, and I find myself unable to utter a response. I just stare emptily into those green eyes and nod.

"Alright."

Lily narrows her eyes. "No 'thank you'?" she huffs. "Figures. Don't expect me to do this again!" She flounces off, leaving me staring after her.

Remus chuckles. "I see what's going on here, Prongs."

"What?" I ask.

"You _like_ Evans."

"I do not!" I protest. "I just..."

"Just stare at her."

My eyes slide to the cotton sheets. "Yeah."

"Face it, mate, you're hooked on Evans."

"Who's hooked on Evans?" Sirius struts into the room, a huge hickey branding his neck that I only see thanks to his open shirt collar.

"Prongs," Remus answers.

"No way, you like the snitch? What is wrong with you, mate? We have to sneak you out for some pranking or else your brain is going to rot!" Sirius gasps. He waves at one of the girls picking up an allergy medication, she's blonde, blue-eyed, and has a figure that would make Isabelle Pire green with envy. I snap my fingers, drawing Sirius back to our conversation. "So, uh, how did it happen?"

"Remember when she saved me from being expelled?" I ask.

"Which time?" Sirius and Remus chime.

I roll my eyes. "Last time. Well, she said something that... just got to me."

"What?" Sirius prompts.

"She called me brilliant."

My friends share a quick glance with each other and then burst into howls of laughter. "Are you sure?" Sirius asks in between gasps.

"Yes, I'm sure," I snap, "is it so hard to believe?"

"Yes," Remus confirms.

"So, you like her because she called you brilliant?" Sirius pipes up.

"No, she also said that she'll keep saving me because she doesn't want me wasting my brilliance." I cast a glare at my smirking comrades. "I'm not making this up!"

"Look, if you like Evans, whatever the reason, and no matter how disgusted I am by this, I will help you," Sirius promises, patting my shoulder. I furrow my brow.

"Yeah, me too," Remus agrees. "We have to stick together, after all." He gives me a shining smile, the one he uses to dazzle sympathy out of girls to copy their homework.

"Alright, quit getting all sappy on me." I straighten and stretch my arms.

Sirius snatches a chair from one of the other beds and turns it around before flopping into it. "So, what are you boys thinking about for our next devious disaster against Slytherin?"

I share a look at Remus, who is watching the sun filter through the windows. "Moony and I were thinking we do something big, something at the end of the year that no one will ever forget."

"Why?" Sirius asks, wariness fresh in his eye. He won't like it; he considers the pranking and mischief the ultimate part of our lives at Hogwarts.

"We're in our fifth year now, and we have to start thinking about the future," I say. "Even though it makes me want to puke blood to say it, we have to end the Marauders."

Sirius pales, then his brow creases and rage colors his features. "You lot would rather plug through school knowing those pureblood supremists are out slaughtering Muggle-borns?" he roars. "You want to give in?"

"Padfoot, think about it. We can't get jobs if we keep pranking people."

Remus nods. "The toilet prank almost got Prongs expelled."

Sirius releases a deep sigh. "And this thing with Snivelly almost got Prongs killed. Alright, mate, but someone else will have to tell Wormtail. He is going to be crushed."

Remus is the closest to Peter, though he bonds more with Sirius and I. "I'll tell him," Remus agrees. "Tonight, over dinner."

Conversation slides into silence until Sirius gets up, muttering something about an essay he forgot about, then Remus follows with a potion due tomorrow. I wave them off, waiting until they leave to rise to my trembling legs. I pluck one of Lily's assignments from the pile and read over it, wondering who the heck Morgana was and how I'm going to write a five page paper on her by tomorrow.

"What are you doing?" Madame Pomfrey shrieks, skirting toward me.

I shrug. "Standing up."

"The potion has to repair your damaged blood vessels! It won't do that if it's going to your liver!" she barks.

I raise an eyebrow. "I've been up and about before and nothing's happened. Don't breathe fire or anything, Pom."

Madame Pomfrey's plump face reddens. "In bed, now."

"I'm fine," I insist, waving an arm. "See?"

"Let me check your stitches then," Madame Pomfrey snaps. I whisk off the top of my hospital ensemble, showing her my healing wound. Her expression lightens. "Very well, you are doing much better than I thought. You should be out by tonight." Thank goodness, no more crazy ladies asking me to take off my shirt... wait, no more _old_ crazy ladies asking me to take off my shirt. "Carry on." Madame Pomfrey shuffles out of sight, leaving me to wonder how I'm supposed to sneak down to the library. Surely Lily didn't leave me the textbook I need. I comb through the papers she brought me and, to my surprise, there is the Defense against the Dark Arts text complete with Morgana's biography.

"Doesn't like me, huh?" I chuckle to myself. Maybe this won't be so bad; after all, no girl can resist James Potter! Not even Lily Evans.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Says you, James. Not much to say here, just that Peter considers the Marauders his family and the one group of people that accept him for who he is. They will never betray him or look down on him, and I think that break-up may have driven Peter to the "dark side." After all, he found most of his happiness in them and he found acceptance through them. Perhaps he felt betrayed by their break-up, since they kind of don't ever ask him if he's okay with it.

Oh, and this is perhaps my fave chapter from this section. XD


	5. The Snitch: 5

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** I just discovered that was replacing all my "O. W. Ls" with "O." so all chapters are being edited and fixed. Sorry for this! Henceforth, O.W.L will be abbreviated OWL. Thanks!

* * *

><p><strong>Fifth Year<strong>

**5**

**James**

I'm released from the hospital wing the day after news of the Marauders' break-up gets to Peter. As expected, he's heartbroken and doesn't speak to any of us for a whole day. Thankfully, he doesn't tell anyone that the pranks are going to end. There would be mobs and hexes galore if he had. Snivellus is outside Gryffindor Tower when I arrive this morning, his eyes slitted with rage as they rest on me. "Potter," he practically spits.

"Snivelly, quit stalking Evans and go home." I push past him. The Fat Lady is sleeping in her frame, but she wakes when she sees me, a smile creasing her painted face.

"Potter, how nice to see you. What's the password?"

I whisper, "Brittle board." The portrait swings aside just as Snivellus whips out one last remark that sends me pulling out my wand.

"She'll never go for a _prick_ like you!" Snivellus seethes.

"Say that one more time," I challenge. The portrait slides shut, the Fat Lady covering her eyes.

"She'll never go for a _PRICK_ like you," Snivelly repeats.

A smirk crosses my face. "Thought so, you greasy-haired git. Wingardium leviosa." Horror whitens Sniv's sallow skin as he's whisked into the air. I levitate him onto a vacant chandelier hook. "You make an awful ornament, Snivelly. Ah, well, beggars can't be choosers." With a wave and a wink, I strut back to the Fat Lady. "Brittle board," I breathe under my breath. She gawks at me, shaking her head as she swings aside. I throw Sniv one last smirk and strut on into the Common Room, drinking in the warmth with a deep breath. Several first years lounging about in the squashy scarlet armchairs shoot me a gaping stare, which I return with a smile and a wave.

I skirt up to the dorm and change into my uniform, slipping on my robe over it. I ruffle my dark hair and stroll downstairs, smiling like I've just won the wizarding lottery. Then, a bloodcurdling screech reaches my ears: "POTTER!" I've disappointed Lily again. She storms into the Common Room, rage billowing in her wild green eyes. "Why did you do that to Sev? Ten points from Gryffindor," she hisses at me.

"He called me a prick. I'm not fond of being called crude names, so I taught him a lesson," I reply, ignoring Lily's rage. Her expression cools slightly, but she is still pissed. I shrug. "I have to get my things for class, Evans, no time to chat." I shuffle past her, smirking at her confused expression.

Sirius is lounging around in the dorm, poring over an adult wizard magazine. When he sees me, he stuffs the magazine under his pillow and gives me a welcoming wave. "Hey, mate, I heard you and Evans talking. Seems like that relationship is going well-"

"Don't talk about that," I snap. "She hates me."

"Yeah, bummer. Maybe you should try being more like me... smooth." Sirius shakes his head, effortlessly assimilating his dark hair into one neat mass. I roll my eyes. "Just treat Evans like all the other girls you've gone after. Be smooth and... I don't know, try smiling more."

"That's kind of hard when she's screaming at me." I begin stuffing my textbooks into my bag, wishing that my teachers would take pity on me for being half-dead.

"You're Prongs, you can figure it out," Sirius encourages.

I shake my head. "It isn't that easy." I rake my fingers through my hair. "The other two girlfriends I did have weren't like Evans. She's smart, confident, and has it all together."

"Show her you've got it all together, then." Sirius snaps his fingers. "Shouldn't be too hard for you, since you're one of the smartest blokes I know."

"Sure." I slip my bag over my shoulder and skirt out the door. "I'm late for class."

Potions is with Horace Slughorn, a bore, a slob, and a collector of brainy kids. Needless to say, Lily is one of those brainy kids in his collection. He is a weird bloke, but what makes his class the most awful class out of all the rest is that Snivellus is an ace in it. That greasy-haired kid knows everything about potions and it pisses me off because he is partnered with Lily... again. It isn't like he even needs her help, he's a genius! Slughorn thankfully notices this and suggests Lily and Sirius switch partners. Snivelly and Sirius both glare at each other, until Padfoot wiggles his wand in front of the git's face. Snivelly sits down without a second remark.

Lily reluctantly sits down next to me. She takes one look at my cauldron and sweeps a hand over her forehead. "You'll have to restart, this looks more like a toxic waste dump than a potion."

I raise an eyebrow. "Toxic waste dump?"

"Where Muggles toss their trash," Lily amends. She flicks her wand over the potion and it disappears, though where to I don't know. Next, she pulls out her book, which is devoid of any doodles or stains. "Alright, half a cup of newt tail." She dumps in my left over ingredients. "Two quarters of basilisk venom."

I watch her work, irritated that she considers me too stupid to stir in ingredients. Noticing this, she casts me a look mid-way through pouring the basilisk venom in. "You do the rest." I act confident and start measuring out the ingredients painstakingly, and to my surprise the garbled liquid turns a bright blue instead of the radioactive green the old one was. "What do you know, jocks _do_ have brains," Lily drones.

"You know you like me, Evans," I tease, enjoying this moment. "After all, you said I was _brilliant_, remember?"

Lily's cheeks grow red under the glow of the potion. "That doesn't mean I want to date you, Potter," she growls.

"Sure," I quip.

"Just focus on the assignment, Potter," Lily snaps. She glances over at Snivelly and I find myself bending over the potion, stirring absently at it and checking the temperature. It works, Lily is back to watching me, surprise flickering across her face.

With a sidelong glance at Sirius, I can tell he's enjoying himself. He has a strange green liquid, much like the one previously in my own cauldron, and it is causing Snivellus to break out in a rash of violet pustules. What a genius that one is, sometimes I wonder if maybe Sirius and I weren't separated at birth.

"Ooh, great job!" Slughorn coos, causing me to jump. Lily snickers, but there's satisfaction on her face. "Students, gather around! Miss Evans and Mr. Potter have just made a wonderful sample of the object transformation potion!" he scoops some up in a vile and holds it up. "Look at the great blue color, a true cerulean! Twenty points to Gryffindor!"

Cheers echo from the Gryffindors, and Snivelly has his head down in disappointment. I beam, twirling my wand between my fingers. After Potions, Lily leaves with Snivellus and Sirius gives me a firm pat on the back. "Good job, mate."

"Thanks," I answer, puffing out my chest. "I just needed some focus."

"And this will keep you on the Quidditch team. We need you in the finals, Prongs."

"Slytherin again?" I lock my fingers behind my head. "I get so tired of beating losers."

"Me too, mate. Hey, you know what I found the other day?" Sirius teases, pulling out a set of gold keys. I gawk at the ring, recognizing the keys as Hogwarts property and as the keys that open the Quidditch Pitch and equipment shed. The temptation is too much, I have to use them. "Have fun," he says, tossing them to me.

I give him a firm salute. "You know I will."

"See you, mate," Sirius says, jogging to catch up to a Ravenclaw girl down the hall. I stare at the keys in my hand, grinning as their metal warms against my flesh. Whistling under my breath, I stuff the keys in my pocket for a rainy day and meander towards Transfiguration. OWLs are just months away, and my classmates are beyond thrilled that the year is steadily dwindling to a close. Transfiguration today is a joke; we simply discuss our career choices with each other.

Sirius and I spend the class chatting about nothing in particular until Alice Brown, girlfriend of Frank Longbottom, says something that catches my interest: "I'm thinking of being an Auror, you know, to help the growing problem of pure blood supremacists following that arse Lord Voldemort." Auror, I've heard that word many times, and I recall that a dark wizard named Lord Voldemort is trying to eradicate Muggle-borns. I remember the fury I feel each time a new victim of his Death Eaters appears in the paper and with a glassy eye, I shuffle toward Alice and Frank. They're both brunettes and very intelligent, Frank even plays Beater on the Gryffindor team. The couple is famous in Hogwarts for being together the longest time: two whole years. Now they're both gawking at me like I'm a circus freak.

"Uh, hi," I say, waving Sirius on over. "Listen, I overheard you guys talking and I was just wondering, what does being an Auror entail?"

Alice brightens, her round face lighting up. "Training in combat and spells especially. It is a very physical job, but there are different types of Aurors: some are desk clerks, others are spies, and some actually fight the Death Eaters."

"It's neat since she's Muggle-born," Frank adds in. "And my great-grandmother was a Muggle, plus we'd be together."

Suppressing a gag at the romantic display, I turn to Sirius, who looks irritated that I pulled him away from his gaggle of girls. "That could be for us, right, Padfoot?"

"What about Quidditch?" Sirius prompts.

My happiness dissipates slightly. "I think lives are more important than Quidditch."

My friend's blue eyes widen and then relax into a warm smile. "Alright, my whole family is crazy about Voldy, though, gotta warn you."

I chuckle, remembering my friend's insane parents, but inside I feel a growing sense of dread. His family isn't open to anything pertaining to Muggle-borns, and they visibly support Lord Voldemort by blazing the Death Mark over most of their belongings. Sirius has his family's temper, too, and I want his temper on the side of good.

Class ends early, and I surprise even myself by staying after to talk with McGonagall about a career as an Auror. I wait through the line of other anxious students, my heart thrumming. She won't take me seriously, surely not; no one ever takes me seriously. "Mr. Potter," the old bag says, cleaning her glasses with her sleeve. I roll my eyes as she replaces her glasses, peering over them at me. "What can I do for you?"

"I want to be an Auror."

Dead silence and wide-eyed staring. "You're serious?"

"Yes."

McGonagall releases a sigh. "It will be a lot of work, especially with your marks."

"I will bring them up."

"And you will have to make Head Boy seventh year." My determination steels. "But, you won't be eligible for Prefect next year because you weren't one this year. And, without that extra badge, I don't know how you will be able to do it," McGonagall explains.

I plant my hands on either side of her desk and level her with a firm look. "Professor, I want to be an Auror. I _will_ make Head Boy."

"Then you'll have to give up your Marauders," McGonagall surrenders.

I nod. "I know that."

She gives me a shocked smile. "Then I wish you all the best. Good luck, Mr. Potter."

"Thanks, Professor." I return her grin and shuffle out of the room, my hands in my pockets. Things are starting to look up, until I see Snivellus and his Slytherin pack flocking around a petite brunette. I whisk out my wand and dart into the fray, venom roiling in my gut.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>So, some stuff: first, changed the month on one of the previous chapters to April. Next, updates for this fic are shifting solely to Fridays. I tried to do the twice a week thing and it failed miserably. XD And one more thing, the next Lily and James fic I do will be just seventh year because this one here is insanely long; I don't want to do any more long fics. They make me cry, no not really, but... it gets me sad because then I start thinking about how Lily and James died, and... ugh, I'm an emotional person. Onwards and upwards!


	6. The Snitch: 6

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** I just discovered that was replacing all my "O. W. Ls" with "O." so all chapters are being edited and fixed. Sorry for this! Henceforth, O.W.L will be abbreviated OWL. Thanks!

* * *

><p><strong>Fifth Year<strong>

**6**

**James**

"Hey, Slytherin prickle butts, what are you doing?" I bark, presuming the group of burly Slytherins is picking on a first year.

"Potter, don't!" a familiar voice snaps. Marie, pale and clutching a deep gash in her cheek, meets my gaze. The sight of her reduced to a frail, quivering victim, births anger in me.

"I ought to hex every last one of you," I growl, raising my wand.

"That's enough, Mr. Potter," McGonagall says, turning me from the riffraff. Never am I so relieved to see her striding forward, wand drawn. "Fifty points each from Slytherin. Marie, go to the infirmary to get that patched up." She throws a glare at the Slytherins, who refuse to let Marie through. "Move aside or you will all face expulsion." Whimpering curses, the students move and Marie scuttles past them. Last year I asked Marie why she never took her wand with her when she went to the restroom, her response had been clear: "Why should I? No one is going to attack me here!"

"Severus Snape, I am most disappointed in you," McGonagall lectures. "You ought to know better than this. Detention for all of you, cleaning trophies for a month." The Slytherins trudge off in a slew of whispered profanities and sullen glares. "Slughorn had better keep an eye on them," she growls. I stuff my wand in my pocket and head for lunch, but am stopped by a firm, "Mr. Potter." Wincing, I turn. "You are very brave, but you must learn to pick your fights wisely." McGonagall peers at me from over her glasses and I nod.

"Yes, Professor."

"Good, carry on."

I make my way down to the Great Hall slowly, blood churning in my ears. Lily is sitting with Remus in the Marauders' section, causing me to blink. "Prongs!" Sirius nearly knocks me over with his abrupt pat on the back. "What the hell were you thinking? Sniv could've sliced you open like last time!"

Lily meets my gaze. "What happened with Sev?" she asks.

"Nothing," I lie. She'll worry over that simpering prick and blame me.

"What happened?" she asks in a firmer tone.

"Your little stalker sliced Marie's cheek open," Sirius curtly interrupts.

Lily's face pales. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah, but no thanks to you," Sirius hisses.

"Hey, knock it off," I order, thumping Sirius in the chest. He glances at me and, shaking his head, sits down on the other side of Remus. "It isn't Evans' fault Sniv is a psychopath."

"No, but she condones his behavior," Sirius continues.

"I do not! I've tried to get him to stop, but he won't!" Lily snips. She rises to her feet. "I'm going to go see if Marie is alright."

"Potter is the one that saved her!" Sirius hollers after her. "If it wasn't for him causing a commotion, McGonagall wouldn't have ever known!"

Lily pauses and looks back at me. "I know, you're very brave, Potter. But, you really should learn how to pick your fights." I nod and she trots out of the Great Hall, her dark red hair streaming behind her like a banner.

I sit down next to Sirius, it's like I'm on cloud nine. Lily gave me advice, and she didn't criticize me for picking on Snivellus. All the same, this war has to end. Severus Snape is out of control, what once was harmless fun has turned into violence and cruelty. I will not stand for it, any of it, and I have the perfect finale for this show

"Mate, will you pass the potatoes?" Sirius asks.

I jump out of my reverie and shove the bowl at him. "Were you dreaming about Evans?" Peter teases.

"Probably, she's all he thinks about now!"

I narrow my eyes. "No, no, listen," I insist, "I have an idea to fix Snivellus."

My friends gawk at me, their eyes glassy, though Remus and Sirius both exchange suspicious expressions. "What?" they chime.

"Secret," I tease, tapping a finger against my lips. "I have to wait for just the right moment to strike."

Sirius furrows his brow. "I don't like the waiting."

"Me neither, tell us," Peter insists.

"I have a feeling I won't like it either way," Remus sighs. The full moon is approaching; he'll be needing time in the Shrieking Shack soon. He's part of the reason for this group, nay, this brotherhood; Sirius, Peter, and I teamed up to help Remus through his werewolf changes by becoming animagi. That's where the nicknames come from, our unregistered animagi, not that anyone knows about it outside of our group. Although most of our transformations are complete, the transformation itself is like trying to stuff your head through an outgrown shirt, painful.

"Aw, come on, Moony. You just need more time to find your niche; I'm the lady-killer, Prongs is the brain, Wormtail is... well, he's our roadie. You, however-"

"Prongs is the brain?" Remus and I repeat. We share smiles and fall apart into loud bouts of laughter.

"Yes, he always comes up with fun things for us to do," Peter explains.

Sirius nods. "Exactly."

Remus throws up his hands. "Alright." He slides a look toward me; both of us erupt into giggles.

"The point is," Sirius interrupts, jabbing a forkful of meatball at Remus, "that Moony isn't like any of us; he's not a snitch, yet he doesn't prank. That means he needs to find his niche."

"I have no niche," Remus drones. Rolling his eyes, he drops his voice, "How can I find a niche when several nights a month I turn into a giant, raving monster?"

"Come on, mate, a werewolf isn't a giant, raving monster," Sirius deadpans. "It's just... an abnormally large and savage wolf that tries to slaughter any human in its path." He fakes a smile.

"You all have had girlfriends and your social cliques, I don't have any of that," Remus says.

"Wormtail has none of that," Sirius quips, "and he gets along fine."

"Hey!" Peter snaps, his watery eyes faking a glare at Sirius.

I chuckle at their antics. "I mean, who would want me? I'm a freak, remember?" Remus coldly answers.

"Nah, you're sensitive and caring. Girls love that in a bloke; that's why Prongs is still single after his last break-up!" Sirius chirrups.

Remus shakes his head. "I am too sensitive!" I bark before Remus can refute, "Snivellus is still alive, isn't he?"

"Ah, true, that last round of Potions I had with him nearly gave him a heart attack," Sirius concurs. "And you usually evoke the most guilt out of all of us after a prank..."

"See?" I chastise, folding my arms triumphantly. "I _am_ sensitive."

"Oh, Moony, look!" Peter cries, jabbing Remus with his elbow. "It's Sarah Richmond!" I follow my friends' gazes to a blonde Ravenclaw making her way into the hall, her long nose buried in a book. She has plump lips and a boyish figure, but it's obvious from Remus' slack jaw she makes his head spin.

"What? You like _her_?" Sirius scoffs. Peter and I shoot Padfoot a glare, silencing his insults.

"Yeah, but I can't talk to her. She's a Quidditch star, a brain, and would probably never go for someone a year younger than she is," Remus replies, his scarred face falling.

"Come on, mate, just get to know her," I encourage, "play it cool and then... ask her out."

"Easy for you to say," Remus growls.

"No, it isn't."

Remus laughs dryly. "You're the height of cool, you and Padfoot both! I'm... just a nerdy guy that tags along."

"Nah, that's Wormtail," Sirius affirms.

"Hey!" Peter whines.

I fix a vicious look on my friends, staunching their chatter. "Look, Moony, anyone can get a girlfriend. You just have to be yourself and be confident. If you aren't confident, you won't get anywhere in life."

Remus blinks at me. "Prongs, you have no idea how..."

"She's coming this way!" Peter hisses.

Sarah Richmond saunters over to the Gryffindor table, right to an attractive seventh year Prefect named Laurence Hammond. Remus sighs and jabs a fork at his spaghetti and meatballs. "See? I told you guys."

"You just have to put on your charm and wit, Moony," Sirius assures our depressed comrade.

"Like you did with Marie?" Remus leers.

Sirius averts his eyes. "Yeah, well, that relationship was doomed from the start. Everyone knows you don't date teammates."

"Right." Remus goes back to ogling at Sarah until she disappears into a thick crowd of Ravenclaw girls. Part of me sees myself in him: desperate for the attention of a girl that appears to be so far above you. Another part of me hopes I don't become like Remus, struggling for a glimpse of Lily through a sea of faces during every waking hour of my day. Alright, I _really_ hope I don't become like Remus.

"Just talk to her. Try the simple phrase 'hello, my name is Remus Lupin, and you are?' Go on, try it," Sirius encourages. He gestures for a response, but Remus just stares blankly at Padfoot with narrowed eyes.

"You guys are about as useless as a bunch of Bertie Bott's beans in a snowstorm. I'm going to be late for Defense against the Dark Arts," Remus says, rising to his feet. He glares at each of us in turn, save for me. "Good luck with Lily. See you all later." He stomps out of the Great Hall, leaving Peter waving haplessly after him.

"Man, has he got a doxie in his pants or what?" Sirius mutters.

In spite of the drama we just witnessed, a few quiet snickers drip from my lips. Sirius joins in and soon we're cackling through teary eyes at some unknown joke, Peter making a face at us because he fails to understand the joke. I have no idea why I laugh, but it the guttural roar of air through my lungs feels like it's the first breath I've taken in weeks.

Snivellus passes by our table, capping my chuckles. He mutters something under his breath that sounds like, "Stupid cads." For once, I don't try to hex the living daylights out of him because I am planning my revenge as he disappears out the door. It will be the sweetest, ripest dish of revenge yet.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>James doesn't strike me as the type of kid that would go after someone without a reason. He is going to humiliate Severus, he just doesn't know when or how yet. ;)


	7. The Snitch: 7

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** I just discovered that was replacing all my "O. W. Ls" with "O." so all chapters are being edited and fixed. Sorry for this! Henceforth, O.W.L will be abbreviated OWL. Thanks!

* * *

><p><strong>Fifth Year<strong>

**7**

**Lily**

"You're sure you're alright?" I press. Marie and I are on our way to Defense against the Dark Arts, the stitches on her cheek are padded with inflamed flesh. Her skin is the color of fresh snow. Marie throws me a dangerous look, warning me to shut up before McGonagall or someone else hears. All it takes for her to be tossed off this weekend's Quidditch match is one mention of illness or injury, miniscule or not.

"Look, Lils, I'm fine. I won't die or anything, promise," Marie vows.

I frown at her. "You don't know that."

"No, but I _do_ know that your little friend is going to get his butt hexed to the size of a balloon if he tries that again."

I gawk at my friend. "You're going to start carrying your wand?"

"After being reduced to a quivering ninny, yes I am," Marie seethes. She shoulders her bag.

I smirk and tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "Just don't do anything to land you in the expulsion seat."

Marie raises an eyebrow. "There's a chair for it now?"

"In Dumbledore's office," I remind her sternly.

"Don't worry, I'm not Potter," Marie sighs. She itches the back of her head, ruffling her choppy locks.

"I know, but you two share a temper."

Marie chuckles. "You seem to be awfully chummy with Potter lately, speaking of that."

"I am not!" I argue, my cheeks warm. I can't stand Potter, but I haven't found many faults with him recently. In fact, Potter is taking on a warmer light, while Sev is donning a darker one. The tables in my life are spinning and I don't like it.

"Sure, then where is Sniv- Snape these days?" Marie leers.

"We weren't dating, ever. He's just a friend, like a brother," I brush off. "Though, lately he's been..."

"Evil."

"No, more like... demented." I shake my head, Mary's bloodied face dancing behind in my memories. "It doesn't seem like him."

Marie rolls her eyes. "The kid always had a vibe about him... something cruel." She meets my gaze. "He tortured the spider in Defense against the Dark Arts without a single bit of remorse, remember?"

My stomach churns. Severus _did_ volunteer to test out those Forbidden Curses last week. He did it readily, without a trace of guilt. "He was probably just hoping for good marks," I stammer.

"Or that time he got thrown out of the Dueling Club because he hexed Martin Sandberger into a seizure?" Marie challenges. "Was he 'just hoping for good marks' then too? Lily, open your eyes; Snape is a maniac."

"Snape isn't crazy!" I backlash. I gasp, clamping a hand over my lips. Marie has an impish grin on her face, catching my drop of Sev's last name. I've never called him "Snape," not since we first met on that playground long before Hogwarts.

"See? Even your subconscious knows it. That's why you had that dream. He isn't good for you, Lils."

I sigh, my hand dropping to my side. "If he doesn't change by the end of the term, I promise I'll end this friendship."

"That's not so far away," Marie chimes. "I'll be waiting."

We trot into Defense against the Dark Arts, ignoring the usual shadowy decor of the classroom. Mary is in the front row, Marie and I sit down on opposite sides of her. She already has her supplies out, pumping with enthusiasm. "Hi, girls," she sings.

"Tone down the glitter," Marie barks.

"What's...? Marie! Your cheek, it's... what happened!" Mary whispers.

"Sniv-Snape happened to it," Marie drones, rolling her eyes. "Just the usual."

"Didn't I tell you to take your wand with you?" Mary hisses in a motherly manner.

"Yes, Goldie Locks, you did. Now that I've learned my lesson, we can all lecture me on my stupidity."

Mary sighs. "I already did that, remember? Like when you broke up with Black?"

"Don't mention that vile name."

Professor Kettleburn strides into the classroom, a smile on her face. She's a round woman with a ruddy face and coppery hair piled high into a vintage pouf. Kettleburn has a squeaky voice that she uses too much and is fond of essays, but it's hard to hate her because her cheery attitude is infectious. "Welcome, students!" she cries.

"Welcome, Professor!" we chorus.

"Today we are going to get to work on defensive maneuvers for curses and hexes. Turn to page eighty-four in your texts. Who wants to read the passage out loud?"

The door creaks open, a lone, greasy-haired form stumbles into the classroom. Sev. There's a glacial glint to his dark eyes. My gaze drops back to my text book. "Ah, Mr. Snape, how about you?" Professor Kettleburn asks.

"How about I what?" Sev returns, sliding into a seat up front.

"Read the passage out loud on page eighty four."

"Ah, alright," Sev murmurs. He withdraws a well-used book from his bag, the pages crack when he opens it. "Chapter twelve: Curse Defenses. There's no sure way to fight off the killing curse or the torture curse, but one can avoid them using stunning spells to prevent the casting. Disarming spells offer a path to defeat. One must be quicker than their opponent to win a battle using these curses. Speed dictates who wins the battle, hence the importance of unspoken spells. Unspoken spells provide variability and unpredictability, which can lead the opponent into various traps if used correctly. This chapter will discuss the importance and technique behind each of these methods."

"Very good, five points to Slytherin," Professor Kettleburn clucks. "Now, disarming spells are commonly classified as: wand-affecting and dehabilitating." She plucks her own wand from her robes. "Expelliarmus is wand-affecting because it removes the wand from the opponent's hand. Other wand-affecting spells exist, such as the wand-shattering spell, shatterius. This spell is very dangerous and can shatter bones or splinter muscles if used improperly and is rarely used because of that. The last wand-affecting spell dehabilitates the wand by temporarily disabling its spell casting properties: nocturnus." She pauses for a lingering breath. "Now, dehabilitating spells are a different story. Who wants to explain what those are?" Several hands shoot into the air along with mine. "I should rephrase that question: who has read the chapter and can explain what those are?" The hands around me fall. "Miss Evans!"

I bob my head. "Dehabilitating spells affect the spell caster in some way, either by crippling them physically or by crippling them mentally."

"Good job! Yes, dehabilitation spells have just two varieties: murmuris, which cripples the mind by garbling the opponent's thoughts and crippiculus, which cripples the body by temporarily numbing the limbs of the opponent." Professor Kettleburn beams at her students. "Unfortunately, crippiculus has been found to be unsafe and can lead to paralysis depending on the skill of the caster. Thus, that spell will not be practiced here. None of these spells are particularly safe, by any means, but they do help stave off death."

Snickers arise in the room, mostly from the row of Slytherins lounging in the back. "Duh," Mulciber heckles.

"Mr. Mulciber! Have you anything thoughtful to add?" Professor Kettleburn's sweet voice is taut.

"No, Professor, I was just wondering why one would use these methods instead of trying to hex their opponent back?"

"Excellent question! Well, for starters, death has a severe penalty in the wizarding world. Azkaban is no walk in the park, I dare say. Next, few people possess the lack of compassion to kill another human being and that alone can stave off desires for revenge or survival."

"Survival, Professor?" Mary asks, her voice quavering.

"Yes, not all people can kill another for the sake of their own life."

"I would," Mulciber chimes in. "If it meant that I could live, I would blow off a guy's head sure thing!"

Silence falls over the students, some of the Slytherins cringe. "Mr. Mulciber, you can be the first in our hypothetical survivalist exercise!" Kettleburn gestures for the Slytherin to come to the front of the room. Mulciber's huge form lopes forward. He makes sure to throw a toothy grin at Mary, who flinches.

"So, uh, what's the hypo... exercise?" Mulciber asks.

Kettleburn's grin stretches wider. "Glad you asked; this exercise will place you in a hypothetical situation where the decisions you make will drive your future circumstances."

"Lame," Mulciber deadpans. "What's so fun about things that aren't real?"

"They prepare you for things that _are_ real."

"Sure, Prof."

I stare at my parchment, my heart thrumming. "Now, close your eyes," Kettleburn orders.

Mulciber groans, but closes his eyes. "Imagine you have just graduated and are now on your way to your dream career. But, wait, an enemy of yours appears on your way to work and initiates a duel. What do you do?" Kettleburn challenges.

A cocky grin inches Mulciber's lips apart, revealing his fang-like canines. "Easy, I blow his head off."

"Now you are in Azkaban. The Dementors surround you, sapping every bit of strength and happiness you have. Your friends have abandoned you and all seems hopeless, but an inmate across from your cell claims he can get both of you out."

"I go along with it and then, when he gets caught, I let the Dementors have him," Mulciber cackles.

A shudder runs down my spine, James and Sirius wouldn't do something like that. "The Dementors take you too," Kettleburn refutes.

"I use my Patronus on them..."

"No wand."

"I... this is stupid, I'm going to die anyway!" Mulciber spits, his eyes flying open.

Kettleburn taps Mulciber on the nose with her wand. "You wouldn't have died if hadn't killed that person. Mr. Mulciber has shown us that decisions made in the present to preserve our own lives can kill us in the future. Keep this in mind as you practice these spells on the dummies I've provided." We all turn to the rucksack dummies in the corner, making a mad dash for one that isn't falling apart or reeking of sour milk. I let Marie and Mary fight for our dummy, one thought blaring in my mind like a broken record: Sev hangs out with Mulciber.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> The point isn't the wording of the spells, but Mulciber's reaction to the "game of life." I love Lily; she's a great character and is very fun to work with. BUT, if you've read _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_, you will see that in her fifth year, she was at odds with James. Lily was a tad like a 70's Hermione, but they are two DIFFERENT people, and I've tried to portray that here. I'm not going to make Lily a clone of Hermione because I don't believe she was a clone of Hermione, but they are similar character-wise. The differences come up later on.

The main reason why I think Lily is a tad like Hermione also stems from the fact that I think Ron/Hermione are similar to James/Lily; Ron is a bit cocky and into jokes, like James, and Lily is an intelligent, Muggle-born witch, like Hermione. However, they are different pairings and not the same, just similar. ;) Thanks for your support of this story; it means a lot to me. I read every review and treasure every alert I get! :)


	8. The Snitch: 8

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** I just discovered that was replacing all my "O. W. Ls" with "O." so all chapters are being edited and fixed. Sorry for this! Henceforth, O.W.L will be abbreviated OWL. Thanks!

* * *

><p><strong>Fifth Year<strong>

**8**

**James**

OWLs are upon us before we know it, sucking our life force through study sessions and long spell casting practices. Sirius and I run through spells, facts, and random informative tidbits until our faces turn blue. Remus tutors us to the best of his abilities, but even he has his limits. The full moon rises and after almost getting caught last year at the Shrieking Shack, none of us want to chance another encounter. Remus lives off of potions and secrecy for about a day before he reveals his fears of being caught hiding out in the Forbidden Forest, which leads Sirius to whisk out the old map and I to pull out my invisibility cloak. The cloak is thick and durable, more than others of its kind, and has been in my family for generations. However, we're not the kids we used to be. Sirius has sprouted up like a beanstalk this past year, so we have to bend our knees to accommodate him.

It's late, just past a study session, and we stumble down the hallway to the Whomping Willow. Our rasped breathing blends together as one unit, our hastened footsteps are abnormally loud and clumsy under night's silence. The Whomping Willow's thrashing branches grow close, and, after a quick sweeping look behind us, we whisk off the cloak. I pocket it in my bag and Remus drops to the ground, crawling beneath the branches. I glance at Peter and Sirius. With firm nods, we release our human identities, drinking in the searing pain and heat that comes with altering our forms. My legs and arms lengthen. My nose becomes dark and damp, my face covered in musky taupe fur. In mere moments, I shed the guise of James Potter and become a stag. I leap past the Whomping Willow's branches, stepping into the tunnels beneath the tree. Sirius, now a great black dog, barks behind me and Peter's rat form squeaks. We share knowing looks and delve deeper into the tunnels, pausing just underneath the trap door that opens into the Shrieking Shack to transform into our selves. Remus is already up above, pacing like a caged animal. I slip the trap door shut, wondering how long the moon will be up.

"I'll take first watch," Sirius states.

"You sure?" Peter asks.

"Positive, mate, go get some sleep."

Peter furrows his brow, dubious. "If you're sure," I tell Sirius.

"I'm always sure," Sirius heckles. He clambers up into the shack and the door falls shut with a soft thud.

"I'll guard the door," I tell Peter.

"Can't I stay?" Peter asks, stifling a yawn.

I laugh at his enthusiasm. "Mate, you'd better get some sleep. You'll be needing it."

"Alright, alright," Peter groans, morphing back into a rat. He scuttles out and I shift into a stag, nestling against the warm earthen wall for a quick nap.

Pin pricks of noise flutter against my large ears, peeling my eyes open. Peter is long gone now and surely no one followed us. Sirius would've smelled any snoopers. I rise to my feet, morphing back into my human self and drawing my wand. Whoever it is, they're getting closer. "Come out, you dirty coward," I hiss, raising my wand. Snivellus emerges from within the tunnels, his way ignited by a dimly lit wand. He seems surprised to see me, but I'm not startled to see him.

"What are you doing here? This will be forty points from Gryffindor, you know. Sneaking out past curfew, not to mention disobeying the Hogwarts rule regarding the Whomping Willow. Looks like I finally got the upper hand, Potter," Sniv leers, ignorant of the dangers at hand. He notices the trap door above my head. "I'll bet that's the source of this mischief. No more hiding."

"Sniv, don't make me hex you purple," I warn, raising my wand.

Snivellus lets out a nasally laugh. "Oh, please, Potter, I'm not afraid of you. You're not like me, you can't use _real_ spells."

I glare at the git, wishing he would disappear. "I mean it, mate, go back to your cozy stone hut."

"Ha!" Snivellus laughs and mutters a quick spell. Spasms of numbness prickle down my wrist. I curse, clutching the numb wrist in a vain effort to free it from the spell. Snivellus is clambering up into the shack.

"SNIV!" I roar, forgetting our war for a brief moment. He's a human, a bloody stupid human, but one that I can't let die. Horrified screams echo above me. I stuff the wand into my pocket and yank open the trap door, changing into a stag as I lunge forward to stop the hulking sandy-colored wolf that is now Remus from chomping a very white Sniv's neck open.

The git blinks at me, his eyes wide. Sirius corners Remus, managing to calm him with some gentle growls. I sift back to my human form and round on Snivellus. "Go!" I hiss. "Before Moony comes at both of us!"

Snivellus doesn't listen, of course. He just stares at the wolf. "I knew you all were up to something! First the pranks, now this! Just wait until I tell Dumbledore," he sneers. I narrow my eyes at him.

"Get down in the damn tunnels and go away!" I bark, my temper exploding.

Remus snaps up at my rage, running for both Sniv and I. I shove him into the tunnel, falling after him and pulling the trap door shut. Frantic clawing ensues from above, sending skitters of fear into my heart. I try not to think of becoming desert for Remus and instead on the shaking, pale idiot before me. "What the hell was that?" I holler, too livid to remain calm. "Didn't I tell you not to go up there?"

Snivellus sniffs. "You didn't have to save me."

I drop my hand from the trapped door, as the clawing stops. "Right, not save you. You do realize you're alive and living, right? Do you have a death wish or something?"

"Why should you care?" Snivellus hisses. "I'm just a nuisance to you!"

"Yeah, but I don't let people die or get tortured no matter how much of a nuisance they may be," I huff, running my hands through my hair. "Go back to Slytherin, Sniv."

He blinks at me. "NOW!" I yell. Snivellus nods and races back down the tunnels. I slump down against the wall, wishing life were simpler. After a few moments of empty staring and quick breathing, I transfigure back into the stag and fall asleep, waiting for the moon to set.

A cold prod awakens me from my slumber sometime later. I look up to see Sirius and Remus staring down at me, their eyes bloodshot and tired. "Get up, mate, Moon is gone," Sirius yawns. I nod, shifting back into my human self as I stand.

"What time is it?" I ask, stuffing my hands in my pockets.

"Around three, I guess," Remus says.

"Great," I grumble, stretching my limbs.

"You saved Snape, James," Remus adds on a more serious note.

Sirius bows his head. "Yeah, you really did. That git would've died if you hadn't pulled him down with you."

"I'm not like he is; I take people's lives seriously," is all I say. We crawl through the tunnels in silence, each of us rolling under the willow's branches when an opening emerges. Cold night air prickles at our thin layers of clothing when we emerge. We survey each other, smirking at the layers of dirt we've accumulated. After a few wand flicks, we're relatively cleaner. I whisk out the invisibility cloak and drape it over us, giving a nod to initiate our journey back into the castle.

Filch isn't around tonight, probably off cleaning his cat's box or something. The relief we feel is immense, but I keep the cloak over us in case any teachers are filling in. We approach the Fat Lady's portrait with ease and I shed the cloak, stuffing it in my pocket as best I can. "Psst!" Sirius barks at the sleeping portrait.

The Fat Lady jumps awake and throws him a dark look. "Mr. Black, I was sleeping," she grumbles.

"Bertie's Bott," Sirius continues, ignoring her complaint.

With a sigh, the portrait swings aside and we scuttle into the empty Common Room. Darkness lies beyond the windows, a few embers cackle in the fire place. I trudge up to the dorm after Sirius and Remus, my feet moving like lead. Snivellus has probably snitched to Slughorn by now and Slughorn will be talking to McGonagall, who will talk to Dumbledore, who will ask to see us in his office before breakfast. I swear, my poor grandparents are gonna have a heart attack if this keeps up. I really hope no owls have been sent to them.

"Worried, mate?" Sirius chuckles under his breath.

"A little, Sniv is kind of a snitch."

"Nah, he won't say anything."

"How do you know?"

Sirius shrugs. "Snitches are cowards."

"What does that have to do with anything?" I huff.

"Cowards never talk, unless it benefits them in some way," Sirius affirms.

I raise an eyebrow. "Fine." Inside, I'm not so sure. Snivellus is a coward, but he isn't stupid, and he will do anything to make sure I get thrown out. My gaze hardens as we enter the fifth year dorm. It sounds like a pack of hibernating bears up here. I pluck a clean uniform from my trunk and head off to the washroom to change. "See you guys later," I mutter to my friends.

Remus and Sirius snicker, waving me off. I roll my eyes; maybe I can nap in the Common Room for a few hours of shut-eye. Right now, though, I need to get all these mucky clothes off of me.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>There is some debate on when James saved Severus's life; some Marauder fans claim it was fifth year, some claim it as third. I say it is third, but something about fifth seems... right. So, I'm going with fifth here.


	9. The Snitch: 9

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** I just discovered that was replacing all my "O. W. Ls" with "O." so all chapters are being edited and fixed. Sorry for this! Henceforth, O.W.L will be abbreviated OWL. Thanks!

* * *

><p><strong>Fifth Year<strong>

**9**

**Lily**

James turns his attentions on me in the coming weeks, sending me roses and nauseating rounds of poetry. I decline his offers politely, but my patience is thinning. None of my friends have sympathy for me, arguing that I should be flattered James is interested because he's only had two real girlfriends. Besides that, James is the height of cool; his being interested in a brainy girl like me is a compliment. They forget that James revels in pranking people into deep humiliation, especially Sev and me.

The day of our OWLs, a basket of irises appears at the foot of my bed. Marie has delivered it for James. With a growl, I toss the flowers out one of the dorm windows, sending the basket down with them. If James wants me to take him seriously, that is _if _he's serious, he'd better stop sending flowers through my friends.

OWLs are broken into two categories: spell casting and written. The spell casting portion is first, and as I sit in line, I'm flushed with dread. I'm awful at casting Patronuses, a defensive maneuver that every OWL exam covers. It's embarrassing because I'm an ace at every other spell, hex, and curse, but one of the most important spells we'll ever learn trips me up. Marie says I must clear my head because a Patronus can't form without a clear head and happy thought. That is a load of flobberworm mucus, my head is always clear.

Trudging into the classroom, I glance back and James flashes me an encouraging smile. I raise an eyebrow, doubting his sincerity. All the desks in the classroom have been removed, save one long table where a batch of stodgy old witches and wizards are perched. "Lily Evans, you will be asked to perform nine types of magic: three basic casts, three intermediate, and three expert spells," one of the women explains. She readjusts her horn-rimmed glasses with a sniff. "You may use any of the props in this room to demonstrate your techniques."

There's a plastic skeleton clutching a knobby twig, a floppy tent, a wardrobe rattling with a Bogart, and a magically locked window at my disposal. I use Expelliarmus on the skeleton, Lumos in the tent, and Alohomora on the window without fault. For the intermediate spells, I relock the window, use Ridikkulus on the Bogart, and transfigure the skeleton into a safe. The expert level spells always seem to fizzle out: Erecto leaves half of the tent baggy; the safe shifts back into a skeleton with a shower of ruby sparks; and Stupefy almost rips the fragile skeleton apart. Yet, the judges don't move an inch or lift a corner of their mouths at my failures.

"Now, as your last spell cast, you must summon a Patronus," the bespectacled woman says when the skeleton falls over, presumably stunned.

Sweat lurches from my pores, and nausea swishes in my stomach; the time has come to face the bane of my Hogwarts' existence. James' encouraging grin flashes behind my lids, filling me with a sprout of confidence. I run my tongue over my lips, holding tight to James' bold smile and raise my wand. "Expecto Patronum!" I turn away from the blast of silver light that spurts from my wand, praying I haven't transformed the judges into cats.

"Aah, what an unusual Patronus."

I look up and my jaw slides open. It's a doe, a silver doe with fierce, clever eyes and strong limbs. "I've never seen anything like it, and it is so... solid," one of the men remarks.

"Indeed," another chimes in.

My Patronus nods at me before vanishing in a snap of light. I beam, my heart thudding with pride. "Thank you, Miss Evans." I duck out of the classroom. My friends laugh at my idiotic grin when I emerge and slap encouraging pats on my back.

The written portion is more formal than the spell casting portion. We Gryffindors are crowded into a cramped room with a few Ravenclaws and Slytherins. While I'm twirling my quill in an effort to recall the proper way to read a rune, the Marauders are cool and collected. James is giggling to himself and doodling on his answer sheet, Sirius is gawking at a brunette Ravenclaw girl oblivious to his attention, and Remus' head is bent over his paper. Peter is in the far back, diligently scribbling away. There haven't been any pranks this week, but something is going to happen soon.

"Done, Professor," James calls. My head snaps up, disbelief reeling in me. _He_ is done? James Potter is done? I furrow my brow and continue jotting down answers. A few ticks of the clock later, Sirius hands in his paper. Then Remus and even Peter get up. It isn't right, how could they all be done so early?

I hand in my paper a moment after Peter does and skirt after them. Outside, students are lounging near the lake, bathed in spring sunlight. Sirius is rambling on about how he's bored, not surprising since he has a fly's attention span. I take a seat with Mary and Marie, both wearing tired expressions on their faces. Alice jaunts over, prattling on about question five of section two. "It was hardly fair, wasn't it?" she asks, flipping her dark over her shoulder. "We haven't even gotten to transfiguring animals yet."

"That's why it was hypothetical," I reply. "There were plenty of textbook readings on this."

Alice's brow wrinkles in doubt. "Hey, what's going on over there?" Marie asks, diverting our attention. A vast crowd has gathered on the other side of the lake. A pair of worn shoes and stained socks dances above the crowd, attached to two patched pant legs; it's a set of limbs I recognize.

"Looks like Sev is in trouble with the Marauders," I grumble.

"Oh, good, I worried it was something important," Marie sighs. I glare in her direction, not that it fazes her. "Look, Lils, just let it be. Potter has his reasons for these things."

"No, there is no reason for hanging someone upside down," I huff, rising to my feet. I head toward the crowd and push my way forward as James launches into his monologue for his adoring fans. "Potter, what are you doing?" I growl.

"Hey, Evans," James coos, a big grin etching into his features, "what say you and I go get some butterbeer after this?"

"First of all, I'm never going to date an arrogant toe rag like you. Second of all, put Sev down this instant," I order.

Severus flails his arms. "I don't need help from a Mudblood like you!" I stand dead-still, blinking like a deer caught in the headlights at the searing blow.

"Hey, you can't talk to her like that!" James snaps. I glance at him, not sure which is more infuriating: the betrayal of my friend or the defense of my enemy.

"Potter, you can't criticize him, you're just as bad." I pause, looking directly at Sev. "If that's how you feel, then you can get yourself down, _Snivellus_." I stomp off and James mutters something to Sirius. I shed a brief look back, James has a dampened look in his eye and Sirius is patting him on the back; they remind me of brothers. Biting my lip, I dart past the crowd and find my friends on their feet, studying me with a mixture of sadness and "I-told-you-so."

"You heard it?" I ask, sitting down in the dewy grass.

My friends nod. "Kind of hard not to, he was sort of yelling," Marie quips. She ruffles her hair. "I hate to say I told you so, but I did."

Mary and Alice shoot her a scalding glare, but it's the truth. I was warned and I should've listened. Sev has made his choice and I have made mine.

That night, after everything has blown over, Sev appears outside Gryffindor Tower. He relays messages through my friends, pleading with me to see him. It isn't until eight that Mary comes back to tell me Sev is threatening to sleep in the tower. I bite the bullet and leave the warmth of the common room to face him. His sallow face is devoid of color, and apologies are burrowed in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Lily, I didn't mean to call you that."

"Oh, you didn't? Because from where I was standing, you meant every word of it," I snap.

Sev looks at me. "You aren't going to side with them now, are you?" he presses.

I raise an eyebrow, gradually realizing whom he's referring to. "Sev," I sigh, "they don't do bad things. They aren't like Mulciber. I mean, Mulciber, Sev? Didn't you hear what he did to Mary MacDonald? You should know it well enough, you two laughed about it over bread and jam."

Sev's expression tightens and blush sprinkles my cheeks from the intense stare I'm under. "Don't side with them, Lily. They're a bunch of pricks and that one, Lupin, something isn't right with him-"

"He's sick," I tersely intervene. "And everyone knows Potter is a cad." I hold my tongue to keep from adding "most of the time."

"You can't side with them!" Sev bursts.

My temper ignites. "I _can't_? You are not the boss of me, Severus Snape," I snarl. "I will do as I please and, after today, you've made your choice. I've made mine, so don't make this any harder than it is. Good-bye, Snape." I disappear into the Common Room without another word, my heart shattering.

"Evans?"

In the corner of the Common Room, surrounded by books and papers, is James Potter. His square glasses are askew, a drowsy glitter in his eye. "Did you hear that?" I ask coldly.

"Yeah, sorry."

"Good, you caused it."

James balks at me. "Evans, sometimes things just happen."

"Hanging someone upside down doesn't just happen, Potter."

He smiles weakly at me. "You will never understand why I did that. But, even if I hadn't, you've seen him. He's made his choice already."

James is right, and it goads my temper to admit the truth in his words. "Fine, Potter, whatever you say."

On my way up to the dormitory, James grumbles to himself: "Merlin, how stupid was that, Potter?"

If James is serious, it would be the first time. All the other boys used me to earn high marks; the others were freaked out by Sev and left. I've never had a true boyfriend, technically. I decide to deal with Potter's feelings in the morning, when the sting of Sev's desertion has washed away.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>This isn't verbatim. Yeah, I took some artistic liberties with this, but I got the famous, well-known moments in here with as much accuracy as I could. :)

**Update Schedule Change: **As mentioned last chapter, updates will be changing. Starting **August 22****nd****, 2011**, all updates will be changed to **once a month**. Updates will occur either at the **beginning**, or at the **end **of the month on a Friday, usually around 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. Mountain Time.


	10. The Snitch: 10

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

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><p><strong>Fifth Year<strong>

**10**

**Lily **

Between packing and Prefect duties, my last few days at Hogwarts fly by. I don't want to return to Privet Drive this summer because my sister Petunia and her no-good boyfriend will be sucking each other's faces off. The guy is a lout, an even bigger one than Potter is, with a burly frame, a huge appetite, and a nasty temper that he's used on Petunia a few times. She's smart, and pretty with her lean frame, blonde hair, and clear blue eyes, so I can't see why she likes the boorish Vernon Dursley. Petunia is older than me, though, and that seniority gives her a wisdom I don't have yet. She thinks I'm strange, being a witch, and that fact has strained our relationship. For now, I keep my opinions on her whale of a boyfriend to myself.

"Come on, Lily, it won't be so bad," Marie chirps, watching me stuff supplies into my trunk. "You can come to my place in Godric's Hollow!"

For reasons I'll never fully understand, Marie and her father live in Godric's Hollow, but their shop Snowe's Sweets is in Hogsmeade. Unfortunately, Marie lives near James and that has kept me away. But this year, perhaps I should stay at Marie's house. In addition to dreading Vernon Dursley's presence and my sister's loathing looks, Snape is one of my neighbors. I don't want all that drama at once. "Dad has a huge place and since Mum passed away, he's been spending more time at the shop. You can stay with me for the summer," Marie insists. She grabs my shoulders, fixing me with a firm look. "Or you can go back to Privet Drive to deal with Snape and your sister's prick boyfriend."

"Alright," I huff. "I'll stay with you."

"Good," Marie laughs. "You won't regret it!"

"I hope not," I murmur.

James and Sirius are chatting in low voices when I bumble down the stairs, pulling my trunk behind me. The pair stops and glances at me, vague annoyance dancing in their eyes. "Oh, what is it? I'm just getting ready to leave, don't worry. I won't snitch on whatever it is you're going to do, the year is over anyhow." I start past them, but Sirius lets out an irritated sigh.

"You know something, Evans, you are perhaps the most annoying girl I've ever met."

I blink at him. James shakes his head, anticipating the row that is about to start. "What was that?" I ask, my trunk slips to the floor with a thump. "I'm not the conceited bed-hopper that leaves girls in tears."

"You don't have a family disowning you and yet you act like your whole world is falling apart because you finally found out about Snivellus' dual personality," Sirius continues.

I draw my shoulders back. "_You_ don't have a sister who thinks you're worthless. You don't have to deal with knowing your very best friend betraying you," I challenge, poking Sirius in the chest.

Sirius's eyes darken with rage. "Try having a family so steeped in prejudice the only thing they want IS FOR YOU TO BECOME A PUPPET TO THAT IDIOTIC LORD VOLDEMORT!" he roars. All faces swivel toward us and I take a step back, my heart pounding. I've never feared Black because of his jovial demeanor, but there's a cold fire in his eyes. It's frightening how temper can contort a person's expression.

"Padfoot, enough," James says, stepping in between us. He thumps a hand against his friend's chest, hazel eyes flashing behind his glasses. "Evans has her problems and you have yours, let it be. It isn't her fault your parents are pricks."

Sirius towers over James by several inches, yet James doesn't falter. He stares his friend down. "You're right, Prongs, I'm sorry," Sirius huffs. "I'm just peeved." He runs his fingers through his immaculate dark hair. "I'm going for a walk. Let me know when the carriages get here."

"Can do, mate," James says. Sirius gives me a lingering look as he strides out of the Common Room. "Sorry about him, Evans, he's a little temperamental."

"What exactly happened to him? Not that it's any of my business, I just don't want to go around..."

"Yeah, me neither," James cuts me off. "Sirius Black comes from a pureblooded family. They support Lord Voldemort in the fullest sense, and his Mum just kicked him out."

My jaw slackens. "What? Are you serious?" James gives a distant nod.

"Yeah, Sirius is a bit on edge."

"But, where will he live?" I ask.

"With me, my grandparents already said it was fine."

I sigh, flipping loose strands of hair behind my ear. "Look, Potter, not that I like you that way or anything, but... if you ever need anything, let me know. Same for Black, Lupin, any of you, just let me know."

James raises an eyebrow. "Evans, do you have a fever?"

"I know Lupin is sick and I know you have a knack for getting into trouble. Plus, with Black's family... look, if you need someone to talk to, I'll be there." James stares at me like I've lost my marbles. Perhaps I have, but losing Sev has made me realize something: people are not always who they appear to be. The Marauders are not wicked demons, but boys struggling to adapt to this changing world as I am. Maybe it's time we start working with each other instead of fighting; we have to grow up sooner or later.

James' shock disappears into a grim smile. "Thanks, Evans. I like it when you're secretly nice to me." He chuckles, noticing my expression. "We're not going to do the pranks anymore."

I blink, I've heard him wrong, surely. "What?"

"We're not doing the pranks anymore."

"What about yesterday?" I seethe.

"That was a tallied revenge for everything," James admits. He ruffles his hair. "Perhaps I went about it the wrong way."

Potter admitting he did something wrong? "Yes, you did go about it the wrong way," I say. "But both of you did. Sev made his choice a long time ago. It took this incident to show me that." I take a shuddering breath. "I don't know if I can ever forgive you for the way you pranked Sev and I over the years, but I am willing to try. Not that I want to date or anything, but…"

James laughs dryly. "I know, who would want to date a prick like me?"

"You're not a prick," I confess, leveling him with a look. "You're just... stupidly brave. You look out for those around you and that will take you far. Have a good summer, Potter." I heave my trunk out of the Gryffindor Common Room with a strange knot in my chest. I've said good-bye to my best friend, but along the way I may have gained a new one.

Sirius is at the bottom of Gryffindor Tower's staircase, his brow knotted. "I'm sorry," I tell him clearly. "I guess we both have our issues. Not that I can forgive you for what you did to Sev and me, or what you did to Marie, but I think we ought to try."

My heart is thrumming violently as I stare into those blue-gray eyes. "Evans," Sirius says after a while, "Prongs really has a fancy for you. I'm irritated that you can't see what a good bloke he is, but with things the way they are, I think we should start tolerating each other."

"That's all I would ever ask for," I agree. I extend a hand.

Sirius cocks an eyebrow, and then takes my smooth palm in his calloused one with a firm shake. "See ya around, Evans."

"You too, Black."

Mary is waiting at the end of the hall, a furrow in her brow. "Did you just talk _civilly_ to Black?" she asks me.

"Yeah."

"The world must be turning upside-down because Marie was speaking with him over breakfast," Mary mutters.

"Speaking?" I balk.

"More like laughing with him, smiling even," Mary says.

I smile to myself. "Maybe she's going to win him back."

"Fat chance of that, but she is up to something."

"Who's up to something?" Marie barks behind us. Mary and I turn, share a sheepish look with each other, and dart down to the carriages, dragging our trunks with us. We pass by a gaggle of Slytherins; Sev's staring at me, cold and unapologetic. I jerk away from his gaze and burst into the cool morning, drinking in rosy morning light. Summer is here and I have several long, lazy months ahead of me to do whatever I wish. No Sev, no Petunia, no Vernon, just three months of gossip and smiles with my friends. For once, I'm looking forward to summer.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Time for a Q&A session, in regards to things AA has brought up (cool penname, by the way):

One, Lily is a Prefect, so it is her duty to snitch on the Marauders, or risk losing her badge.

Two, Lily isn't perfect. She has her flaws, her problems, and I believe one of her biggest flaws (if you've read the fifth book) was her anger at James. He didn't win her over night, and she didn't see the good in him over night. Another thing to consider: she's fifteen-sixteen in this part of the fic, so she doesn't know who she is yet or what she wants.

In regards to Neville being pure-blooded: I did not know that. I don't think it was mentioned in the books, though if it was, I'm sorry and admit to being wrong. I'm not a Frank/Alice expert, though I love them. My head-canon has always posed Alice as Muggle-born, and in this fic to maintain consistency, she's going to stay that way. Future fics will have her pureblooded. I just needed a motivation for them joining the fight against Voldy.

Another thing: I WROTE THIS BEFORE THE POTTERMORE INFO ON TUNEY/VERNON CAME OUT! I have no desire to change it, so consider that part a bit alternate universe-ish. I know it isn't canon, don't bring it up, please. Just roll with it. XD

In regards to the updates, perhaps there may be twice a month updates; we'll have to see how exams pan out. I'm starting up my major work this year, that means three upper division history courses. Lots of papers to be written, research to be done, etc. I will try to get updates as often as I can. The fic itself is written, I just have to edit and clean up the chapters before I post.

Next up: Sixth year! I think sixth year Lily is more tolerable.


	11. A Tolerant Friendship: 11

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

**A/N: **This chapter initiates SECTION TWO of _The Changing Tide_, sixth year, or "A Tolerant Friendship."

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><p><strong>Sixth Year<strong>

**11**

**Lily **

Come summer, I'm too busy spending time with Alice, Mary, and Marie to take heed of anything but the headlines advertising Lord Voldemort's victims. Mr. Snowe closes Snowe's Sweets after enduring a stream of vandalisms and takes a job as a Ministry desk clerk. Mary starts talking to her parents more often and I write home once a week. Alice relocates her parents to a Muggle safe house via the Ministry. By the time September rolls around, I'm jumpy about leaving my family alone for the school year. Petunia swears she'll be careful and demands I stop nagging. She comes with my parents to see me off to Hogwarts on September first, even grudgingly introduces herself to my friends. I give Petunia a swift hug. "Be careful, Tuney," I whisper.

She reluctantly hugs me back and flicks my nose when we pull apart. "Don't tell me to be careful, have you seen Vernon? He'll protect me. Don't worry; I'll look after Mum and Dad for you."

I smile. "You're a good sister."

"Someone has to be; you're the weird one, after all," she heckles. I narrow my eyes and jaunt off with my friends to platform 9 3/4.

"Your sister is weird," Marie decides once we're past the barrier.

Mary nods. "Yeah, really strange."

"She doesn't like me much, but I love her. She's the only sister I have," I remind my friends.

"Enough of this sob-stuff, let's go pick out a compartment," Marie orders.

"I have Prefect patrol."

Marie rolls her eyes. "Fine-"

"Take my trunk, I'll see you guys later," I call, trotting off to the Prefect compartment. I take my time, making sure to pin my golden badge to my robe.

When I get to the compartment, Prefects from each house are struggling to breathe in the cramped space. I slip in next to Remus, who flashes me a welcoming smile. "Wonder who got Head Girl and Boy this year," he greets.

"Sarah Richmond and William Davies," I affirm.

"Yeah," Remus says with a sad sigh.

"What's got you bothered?"

"Nothing," Remus lies. He notices my persistent expression and laughs a bit dryly. "I fancied Richmond is all."

"It isn't a rule that the Head Boy and Girl date, you know," I deadpan.

Remus' expression turns somber. "Lily, everyone knows that the Head Boy and Girl are together. They have a special dorm and everything."

"Not true, remember Bertha Hammond? She had a girlfriend. Similarly, there was Walter King, who never dated a soul and he got Head Boy with his twin sister being Head Girl."

Remus shakes his head. "Davies isn't gay and I've seen Richmond talking to him. I mean, blushing, touching each other's arms, and talking. It's a doomed cause, but thanks for the encouragement." I offer a timid smile and pat his shoulder, poor fellow.

Silence falls over us as the door swings open and in enters tall, lean, blonde Sarah with brunette William on her elbow. His muscular frame and white smile make the girls squirm in their seats. Sarah rests her head on his shoulder, Remus' expression tightens. "Welcome Prefects! You have a long year ahead of you. I am your Head Girl, Sarah Richmond," Sarah beams, smiling like a goddess. She's captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, and her marks are the top of the charts come exams.

"I'm your Head Boy, William Davies. You can call me Will if you'd like."

William and Sarah rehash the Prefect duties: check-in with the Head Boy and Head Girl after each patrol; patrol the train cars once per ride; take away points whenever you witness a rule violation; patrol thirty minutes before and after curfew; and the sixth and seventh year Prefects check the grounds for any after-hours pranks. There's a quick round of questions and answers afterwards, then we're dismissed. Sixth and seventh year Prefects get an easy ride on the train because fifth years need that patrol for experience.

Remus and I finish without a hitch, working our usual system of pacing the aisles. I'll be doing most of our patrols solo at Hogwarts; his sickness won't let him patrol with me each night. When we finish, we lope back to our compartments. Marie has bought a huge pile of sweets and is haggling for a Merlin chocolate frog card with Mary. Alice is nibbling on a pumpkin pasty, her nose wrinkling at the chocolate scent hanging over the compartment. I sit next to her and watch Marie pluck cards from the candy wrappers.

"Hey, nice of you to show up," Marie drones.

"Yeah, it didn't take real long."

"No, it never seems to," Marie agrees with mock seriousness.

Our peace is broken by the arrival of a disheveled Ravenclaw Prefect, her blue eyes wide with alarm beneath her askew pink glasses. "There's been an attack!"

Marie and I dash after the girl to the Marauders' compartment. James is clutching a gash in his arm, while Sirius lies with hands pressed against his torso. Blood is seeping through his fingers, marring his uniform dark red.

James casts a pleading look at me. "So, Evans, you're here with the medic, right?"

I glance at Marie, who's rolling up her sleeves. "Don't worry about a thing, I'll take care of it while you explain this to Lily," she says to James. She withdraws her wand, tapping it lightly against her skirt before kneeling next to Sirius. While she starts healing, I take a quick survey of the boys: Peter is blubbering in a corner and Remus, sporting a large bruise on his cheek, is attempting to console the boy. Looks like James is the only competent one.

"What exactly happened?" I ask.

"Usual, Snivellus and his Prefect buddies were terrorizing first years, so I asked them to stop. There was some name-calling, some insults were thrown around and then Sirius told Snivellus to stop being an ass and Snivellus sliced Sirius's stomach open. Mulciber attacked me with a huge knife and I tried to fend him off while getting my wand out. Remus tried to help me and was given that bruise. By then I'd had my wand out, so I hexed Mulciber's nose purple while Remus recovered. Somehow we got them out of here, thanks to Remus' hexing capabilities and my brilliance," James rambles.

I roll my eyes; leave it to James to puff up a good story. However, Mulciber _does_ have a peculiar fascination with knives and Snape is excellent with cutting hexes. "What type of things were Snape and the others doing to the first years?" I press.

"Just blackmailing students using point deductions and handing out the 'Lord Voldemort and YOU: How to be a Death Eater' pamphlets," James answers. He gives me a scathing look. "Are you saying you don't believe me, Evans?"

I blink. "Of course she does!" Marie snaps. "Don't be so stupid!"

"Then why are you treating me like a criminal?" James asks.

"I just want the whole story."

"Quit fighting, you two," Marie snarls. She raises her wand and stands, helping Sirius to his feet. "Alright, you're a lucky bloke. I patched you up, but there are no guarantees on how deep the cut went."

"Thanks, Marie," Sirius says. "You saved my life."

Marie narrows her eyes. "Don't go risking it again and I won't have to save it. 'Tis nothing, Black, but remember-"

"Sirius!" a dark-haired boy not much younger than Sirius darts in. Regulus Black. Save for his black eyes and round face, he could almost be his brother's double. "I heard there was an attack," the boy amends, lowering his gaze.

"Regulus, I'm fine," Sirius says. Regulus furrows his brow and Sirius, grinning slightly, ruffles the boy's hair. "Go back to your friends."

"Will you come back for Christmas?" Regulus ventures.

"Regulus," Sirius answers, looking around at all of us, "I meant what I said. I made a decision and I'm not going back on it."

Regulus shakes his head. "Some brother you are." He trudges back to his compartment, leaving a mess of awkward silence and stares behind.

James and Marie shatter the quiet by smacking Sirius in the back of his head. He rounds on them with a furious, "What!"

Marie levels him with a look. "You're an idiot. He's just a kid, you know."

"He's two years younger than me, that's hardly a kid!"

"Mate, he's your brother; he deserves an explanation James says.

Sirius looks between the two, turning to Peter and Remus for support. Remus shrugs, "It's better to clear these things up."

"You could lose him to the_ Death Eaters_, Sirius," Marie says.

"Think about it, mate," James insists. He glances at me, his hand clapped over his injured arm. "So, Evans, does Marie charge a fee or something now?"

Marie gasps, catching the reference. She waves her wand over the wound, sealing it in a haze of green light. "There, now no more fighting," she commands, "or I'll be forced to hex the lot of you!"

James watches me with a mixture of hurt and yearning as I follow Marie back to our compartment. What is with that boy? He always manages to get under my skin somehow; it's incredibly unnerving.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>:D This is the year Lily becomes friends with the Marauders and starts seeing James' softer side. They're not together yet, but they become friends. Sev drama is gonna be tossed around in these chapters too. This section is longer than the fifth year one, but way shorter than 7th year. 7th year is my fave section, probably because James and Lily get together! But, this one is good too. It gives you background!

**Character Cast Information: **In addition to the usual 'Author's Note' you get a new bit of what's up with the leading gals and guys here. I said it earlier, and I say it again (I think I said it earlier, if not, sorry!): there are going to be random folks from the books popping up in here. If you haven't read the books, you will be lost. So, who you will see and have seen and the people they are going to be/are based upon:

Marie Snowe- Mrs. King (mentioned in _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_)

Harold King- Mr. King (mentioned in _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_)

Anna Hamilton- Ravenclaw girl Harry saw Sirius staring at during Snape's Worst Memory (_Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_)

Mary McDonald- Mary McDonald (_Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_)

Mulciber- Mulciber (I remember him from other books, but he struck me as important in _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_)

Professor Kettleburn- Professor Kettleburn (okay, she is actually a HE, but I wanted a chick teaching DADA, so that's why HE is a SHE here. She's mentioned briefly in _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_; Quirrel replaces her)

Alice- Alice Longbottom (mentioned first in _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_)

Frank Longbottom- Frank Longbottom (mentioned first in _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_)

Marlene McKinnon- Marlene McKinnon (mentioned in _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_)


	12. A Tolerant Friendship: 12

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

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><p><strong>Sixth Year<strong>

**12**

**James**

Sirius and I head to the Hospital Wing when we arrive at Hogwarts. Madame Pomfrey is dolled up for dinner, with her red hair in a taut bun and fine green robes on. She pales when Sirius and I parade into the infirmary. "What happened now?" she sighs.

"We got attacked by Slytherins on the train. Marie healed us, but we'd like a second opinion," I explain.

Pomfrey sighs, reluctantly pulling out her medicine vials. She hoists her sleeves up and approaches me first. I pull back my sleeves, revealing the pale strip of flesh marring my arm. Pomfrey waves her wand over the scar, her gaze firm. "Miss Snowe did a good job, the vessels are nicely repaired, and all the cells are sealed. You're fine, Mr. Potter."

Sirius hesitantly rolls up his shirt, revealing the dark jagged line branding his abdomen. Pomfrey taps her wand against his chest. "Hmm, hang on a minute." She plucks a potion from one of her kits, yanks off the cork, and thrusts it at Sirius, who flinches at the harsh odor. "Drink this." He plugs his nose and chugs the potion, handing back the bottle with a coughing fit. "You were well-healed, and the cut wasn't too deep. Consider yourselves lucky."

Sirius yanks down his shirt and nods at me. We make a pit stop at the boys' bathroom for Sirius to toss the potion up in a toilet. He emerges with a shudder. "Mate, never let me get cut up again," he pleads.

"I'll try," I promise.

* * *

><p>The Great Hall is thronged with students, all hoping for brilliant new additions to their houses. I slip in next to Remus, slapping him a high-five. Sirius slides in on my other side and Peter sits across the table. He's preoccupied with the strawberry blonde, blue-eyed Mandy Hall beside him. The two are talking about something, but I can't hear it against the chatter of the hall. Lily sits down next to Remus, her friends slip in around her. Alice is pulled along by Frank and Mary stares hazily at a boy across the room. For a moment I'm reminded of our first year, when everything was innocent and new. I see my arrogant and small self sitting here with Sirius, introducing ourselves to Remus and Peter.<p>

When the Sorting starts, those memories snap back to reality. The Sorting Hat's a raggedy old thing flecked with patches, a long rip running across the brim serving as its mouth. It's seated upon a small stool at the front of the room. He sings a song welcoming the new students to Hogwarts, but there's an underlying theme: stick close to your friends while remembering to "prune the old branches." When the song ends, unease is bubbling in my stomach. McGonagall calls in the first years and one by one, they sit on that stool, put on the hat, and it sorts them into houses. Numerous first years jaunt off to Slytherin, far more than there usually are. I remember Grandpa's words to me over the summer: _"It wasn't always a bad house. There was one kid that managed to mangle its reputation pretty badly. I think his name was Tom Riddle. I heard he was an odd one from your mother..."_

Food fills in the empty golden dishes at our table, spewing delicious scents of meat and potato into the room. I dig in, piling my plate high with the most fattening foods I can find. "Don't eat too much; you can't play Quidditch if you're gorged on potatoes," Marie and Sirius lecture. I chuckle, making sure to add another dollop of mashed potatoes to my plate.

The food eases the tense atmosphere; Sirius razzes Peter again, who grows flustered in Mandy's presence, and Remus scolds them. For a moment, we're first years again, new to school and the world. But, hardly anyone else is chuckling in the Great Hall, reminding me that this isn't our first year anymore; we're sixth years now and the world is changing.

Lily's eyes meet mine for a second, burning with concern or guilt from her accusing manner earlier. "Potter, are you alright?" she asks.

I jab a steak with my fork. "Why, Evans?"

"You look pale."

"Ah, I guess I am." Steam ripples from my steak, flushing my cheeks.

"You haven't even eaten most of this," Sirius balks.

I push my plate toward him, no longer enticed by the sweet aromas. "I'm gonna head back early."

"Here's the password," Remus says, handing me a creased paper. "Don't lose it."

I pat his shoulder. "Wouldn't dream of it, mate."

"I'll go with you," Lily insists, rising to her feet. I'm tempted to wiggle an eyebrow at her, but I just smile.

"Your company is always welcome, Lily," I chirp.

Lily rolls her eyes. "Just in case you need to talk," she whispers.

We leave together, catching Snivellus' attention. His beady eyes follow us out of the room. I resist the urge to toss an insult at the creepy bloke.

"You saw the summer headlines, right?" I ask. Of course Lily did, she was staying at Marie's, a mere five blocks away. How could she _not_ have seen them?

"Yes, why?" Lily challenges.

I throw my hands up. "No insults, I swear, Evans. I just... can I tell you a secret?"

Lily furrows her brow. "What kind of secret?"

"It made me realize why I want to be an Auror."

Lily gapes at me like McGonagall did last summer; wide-eyed, slack-jawed, and ready to burst out laughing. "Are you serious, Potter?" Lily asks.

"Absolutely," I answer.

Lily rakes a hand over her forehead. "How in the world are you going to get to be an Auror? You don't have the marks to get into the training session!"

"Not yet," I mutter, recalling the results of last year's exams.

Lily glances at me. "Are you aware of how dangerous being an Auror is?"

I chuckle at the hopeful warmth tickling my stomach. "Why, Evans, are you... worried for me?"

"Stop kidding around, you're my class mate and sort of a friend," Lily seethes. "Of course I'm going to be worried."

"What about you?" I ask, notching my hands behind my head. Lily stares back. "What do you want to be when you leave?"

Lily shakes her head. "An Auror."

"I thought you wanted to be a teacher, that's what you always told Marie."

Lily's eyes flutter shut. "I can change my career choice, Potter, it isn't that big of a deal. Besides, I want to help those like me, those who have Muggle birth."

For the first time I feel a kinship to Lily. "My parents wanted to do the same," I remark.

Lily looks at me and ventures with a swallow, "Not that it's any of my business, and you certainly don't have to answer, but... is that what happened to your parents?"

I run my fingers through my hair. "Nah, they were pureblood. They died because of a wizarding illness that struck Godric's Hollow. A lot of people died, almost wiped out the entire wizarding community there." Tears prickle in the back of my eyes, and I look away so she won't see them.

"I'm sorry, Potter," Lily amends, as if it's her fault.

The stone staircase to the Gryffindor dormitory appears at the next corner. I follow Lily up, wondering why I told her about my parents. I don't even know who they were, really, aside from a few flashes of black hair and hazel eyes of my mother and the lopsided glasses and scowls of my father; they're nearly non-existent. Aside from those brief snippets of the past, most of my memories of them are filled with sorrow and white-washed hospital rooms at St. Mungo's.

"Sugar quill," Lily says to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

The Fat Lady swings aside and we clamber through the portrait hole. Speckled with squashy red armchairs and couches glowing under the haze of a fire crackling in the fireplace, the Gryffindor Common Room has changed little over the summer. My eyes slide to Lily, lingering by the fireplace, lost in thought.

Her hair is burgundy under the firelight, her eyes radiant emeralds. "What is it?" she asks, laughing lightly. "I'd better not having anything on my face again."

"No, it's nothing," I lie, trudging up to the boys' dorm. The cool air of the vacant sixth year dormitory clears my heated head. What is wrong with me? I've never gotten that nervous around a girl before. It's because it's Evans; everything about her is different from the others. She's kind, yet fiery, bold and contained; she's everything I am and everything I'm not. It irritates and excites me at the same time.

My weathered black trunk is right where it's always been since first year, right between Remus' and Sirius' beds. Peter's bed is at the end of our row, beside Remus', so it isn't difficult to spot the flare of green against his scarlet bedspread. It's the glacial forest hue Slytherin uses. Surely it's birthday card or something because he's no slippery Slytherin.

Perhaps I'll ask Peter when he arrives, or maybe I won't. Friends don't ask friends about strange colored envelopes on their beds. And green isn't solely a Slytherin color; it means life as well. When I emerge from changing into my red plaid pajamas, the envelope has vanished. Unease boils in my gut, but I heed it no mind. If it were anything to be concerned about, Peter would've told me about it.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Okay, some important news. Regarding updates, starting MONDAY 9/22, updates will shift to ONCE/TWICE a month to accommodate for my rigorous schooling at the university. The updates will usually be at the BEGINNING or END of the month. This schedule will be maintained until, hopefully, Winter Break 2011, which shall be around December 15th or so and continue into January 8th or 15th. Because of this change, the next update won't be until September. Thanks!

Now, onto the section info: A Tolerant Friendship is 12 chapters long, but 7th Year (The Year She Says Yes) is much, much, much longer. In other words, you'll get your substance and angst. XD The story won't end just 'cause James and Lily get together (the future ones will, but this is an overview of how I see their general relationship, so it's going to be more in depth and lengthier).


	13. A Tolerant Friendship: 13

**Disclaimer: **_Harry Potter_ belongs to J.K Rowling. All unfamiliar characters, concepts, or designs are mine. This story is also mine.

**Sixth Year**

**13**

**Lily**

After James' peculiar behavior that night, I am plagued by dreams of a little boy perched beside a hospital bed, clinging to the patient's hand. The woman in the bed has dark hair, a narrow face, and kind hazel eyes. She is pale, with thick dark rings under her eyes, yet she smiles at the boy with untidy ebony hair at her bedside. Her cracked lips form his name, but I can't make out what it is. These dreams haunt my nights for the next few weeks, well until the first Quidditch match of Gryffindor's season. Marie wakes me early that day, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed. She already has her robes on, excitement pumping in her. "You'd better be down there when the game starts; you have an hour," she barks. I blink groggily at her. "Quidditch will help clear your head! And get rid of those odd dreams."

I've never been a morning person, or a Quidditch person for that matter. I figure that Quidditch is a boring, stuffy sport anyway. But, now that I think about it, I've never gone to a Gryffindor match. My sixth year at Hogwarts and I haven't gone to a match. Probably because of James, his annoying presence has kept me away from Quidditch. But, suddenly he's not as annoying as he once was. I grudgingly pull myself out of bed and get myself ready for the day.

* * *

><p>The morning air is brisk with autumn chill when I set foot outside, dew glistening on the grass. Mary and Alice are waving to me from the Quidditch Pitch, smiles on their flushed faces. I follow them into the crowded stadium, into the Gryffindor bleachers. "How exciting! Lily, do you realize that this is your first Quidditch match ever!" Mary laughs.<p>

I drag my red and gold scarf up over my cheeks. "Yeah, hard to believe isn't it?"

"Only slightly," Alice chirps.

The teams march out onto the field and James is easy to spot, he's the only player with a big grin on his face waving to the stands like he's Merlin's gift to the world. Sirius is smirking behind him and Marie has another girl in tow, a quaffle under her arm. The girl with Marie marches forward. "That's Annabelle Hutchinson, our captain," Mary de-briefs me. Another girl, one I recognize as Sarah Richmond, emerges with her blue-robed team. "Sarah Richmond, captain of the Ravenclaw team."

"I know, she's Head Girl too," I quip.

Madame Hooch blows her whistle, the quaffle is tossed up, the snitch released, and in a blaze of motion and color, the teams hurl into the air. My heart lurches at blitz of players whirling around the stadium. I can barely keep track of anyone, so I focus on James, Sirius, and Marie, whose forms are recognized by their prickling insults thrown to the other team. "Getting sleepy, Richmond?" Marie heckles, slamming into Sarah and stealing the quaffle.

"Gryffindor steals the quaffle! Snowe is leading," Winston Herscht barks into the megaphone. "She passes it off to Potter, Potter is heading for the goals... and he's blocked by Big Bertha!"

"Herscht!" McGonagall barks. Even I snicker at Winston's mention of "Big Bertha," the burly fifth year Ravenclaw has as their keeper.

"Sorry, Professor. Oh, wait, wait! Potter has the quaffle! I can't make this up, folks, and he scores! Look at those numbers go!"

I rise to my feet and cheer with the rest of my team, pride swelling in my chest. James glides past our stands, a smirk on his face. He loses a bit of his grip when he notices me, regaining his grip clumsily and whizzing forward with a flushed face. "Oh, he really has it bad for you, Evans," Alice clucks next to me.

"Please," I deadpan.

Marie is heading for James to catch the pass, but a bludger is roaring toward her. She dips off her broom, catching herself with her hands and flipping back up when the bludger has passed. Realizing my hand is at my mouth, I drop it. "She always does that," Alice continues, "she'll get herself killed one of these days."

"No way, that's Marie. She's practically invincible out there," Mary chirrups.

Marie swerves forward and snatches the quaffle, hurtling it to Chantal, who intercepts it with ease. She zooms for the goal posts and sends the quaffle past Big Bertha, circling the stadium to bathe in cheers. The rush of seeing my own house mates vie for victory, swerving in and out of reach of bludgers and other players _is_ a bit exciting. I cheer and jeer with the rest of my house mates, losing sight of the biting cold.

A Ravenclaw player rips past the stands, her eyes set on a tiny blip of cold weaving in and out of the clouds. "There goes Beverly Hamilton, folks! She is currently my girlfriend and Seeker for the Ravenclaw team, isn't she gorgeous with her dark braid and flushed cheeks..."

"HERSCHT!" McGonagall shrieks.

"Sorry, Prof. Anyway, Hamilton is heading for the snitch! She is diving, folks! Look at that swan-nose dive, I don't know how she's going to pull out in time... please hurry and pull out, Bev! We're getting married after Hogwarts, remember!"

Beverly, though petite, pulls out of the dive and surges into the air, her fist wound around a winged sphere of gold that's pulsing wildly in a vain effort to escape. "And Gryffindor wins the match!" Winston cries.

I scream myself hoarse with the others. "That was magnificent," Mary sighs as we join the mesh of students heading toward the school.

"And a great way to start the weekend," Alice agrees. She looks at me. "Hey, what did you think of Quidditch?"

I've always been a bit of a tomboy, even back on Privet Drive I played with the boys and did daring stunts off of the swings. This sport is perhaps the most exhilarating thing I've ever witnessed. "It was pretty neat."

"So typical of Lily, to answer with such a deadpan response," Mary groans.

"I'll say," Alice says, shaking her head. "Well, girls, we have all weekend for fun!"

"No, we have to study, remember?" I ask. "Huge review, test coming up Monday?"

Alice's excitement dwindles. "Oh, right. Thanks for the downer, Lily. Come on, Mary, let's get the textbooks."

"Go on ahead," I tell them, lingering behind. "I have something to do first."

"Oh, really?" Mary asks, sharing a mischievous glance with Alice. The two tap their chins, thought echoing in their eyes.

"Go on!" I snap, shooing them away. I linger by the gates to the Quidditch Pitch, watching my breath make wispy clouds in the morning air. James is the last to emerge, shaking his head and carrying his bag full of his Quidditch robes.

"Hey, Evans," he says, surprised, but pleased by my presence.

I glare at him and tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "I guess Quidditch isn't so bad and... you played well. I was proud of you, Potter," I reply.

James blushes and ruffles his hair. "Thanks, Evans. You know, the first trip to Hogsmeade will be soon. What do you say to a butterbeer with me?"

I shoot him a warning look, but I won't be able to get out of it. "My friends and I will go with you and your friends," I surrender. "Just nothing weird," I order, wagging a finger at James.

He tosses his head back and lets out a rich laugh that makes me shiver. "Alright, alright. Say, you really want to see something weird? You should try Sirius and Marie, they ooze eccentricity."

"Don't they always?" I ask.

"Yes, but this time they sound like two buck-toothed Thestrals in heat."

I roll my eyes and ram an elbow into James's ribs. I want to scold him for making light of his friends' quarrel, but I can't scold him or find fault with him for much anymore, especially after the incident with Snape. I don't even hear him approach until his voice squeaks, "Lily." My body tenses.

"Do you hear something? It sounds kind of like an insect," James remarks.

I give him a dirty look. "Go away, Snape, my decision still stands." I glance at James, giving him a thin smile and shake of my head. "And you ought to stop teasing him like that, Potter. I'm not dating you now and nor will I ever." I say that, but as I enter the warm halls of Hogwarts, I am not entirely certain I will be able to keep that promise. Alice and Mary are leaning over the rails of the grand staircase, their eyes glittering with mischief. "What?" I ask them.

"Nothing," they heckle, jaunting up the stairs.

Shaking my head, I follow my friends, noticing for a bare minute the Ravenclaw girl with thick dark hair and pink glasses arguing with Beverly Hamilton. The two appear to be caught in a seething second of staring, their cheeks flushed, eyes narrowed. The girl with the glasses breaks the stare, jogging down the hallway in a violent huff. "Anna!" Beverly calls. "I didn't mean it like that!"

This conflict reminds me of the ones I've had with Tuney in recent years. With a wince, I trudge back to Gryffindor Tower, waving a bit to James down the hall. I'm halfway up the tower stairs when my feet pull me to a stop. I just waved to James Potter; I _never_ wave to him. "Easy, Lily," I tell myself, "it doesn't mean anything."

Alice and Mary greet me with impish smirks when I arrive in the Common Room, their chins perched on their folded hands. "Hi, Lily," they chime with a false innocence.

"I hope it's alright with you two," I say, ignoring their antics, "but I told James we'd meet him and his friends in Hogsmeade for butterbeer."

"Oh, that's fine," Alice quips.

"Completely fine," Mary says. They share a look and I raise my eyebrows, but let it slide. Frankly, I have no desire to know what those two are plotting. We open our books and begin reviewing the principles of vampire slaying. About half-way through our review, Marie and Sirius burst into the Common Room, screaming and shouting at each other like a pair of bickering banshees.

"You're the hack!" Marie snaps, "Always tromping around in girls' beds just to _carve her name into your bedpost_."

Sirius scoffs. "And you aren't? Who's the one that had a total of six boyfriends last year?"

"None of whom _I slept with_!" Marie roars.

"Looks like study time is over," Alice sings, closing her books with a smile.

"Fine with me," Mary adds.

I try to be stern with my friends, but I too am sucked into the never ending drama of Sirius Black and Marie Snowe. "Oh, what about _Harold King_?" Sirius leers.

Marie gapes at Sirius. "He still is my boyfriend!" she backlashes. "That hardly counts as bed-hopping, you lecherous grasshopper!"

Harold King, the sixth year Prefect for Hufflepuff, his life revolves around avoiding trouble and good marks. I never knew he was dating Marie, though she can hide things quite easily. "Well, all those girls I slept with were my girlfriends at the time, so I guess I'm not a bed-hopper either," Sirius teases.

Marie narrows her eyes at him. "You know, Black, a steady relationship means you don't sleep _around with other girls while you're in that relationship!_" She stomps up to the dorm, her footsteps resonating off the walls. Sirius groans after she leaves, raking his fingers through his hair and fixing a penetrating gaze on me.

"Your friend is insane, Evans," he huffs, tromping off to his own dorm.

"Yeah, he's right, she really is," Alice agrees, shaking her head. "If only those two had a relationship like I have with Frank."

"Oh, gag me with a spoon," Mary whispers.

Alice yanks on one of Mary's neat blonde braids. "Say that again?"

"Nothing."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Lily, yes she is warming up to James. Keep in mind that Severus had a genuine fear of her going out with James, why? Why would Severus have that fear if Lily so strongly disliked James? She probably had a tolerance toward him is my guess, and sixth year this probably blossomed into a tolerant friendship.

**Update Notifications: **This is the September update for this fic, please remember that updates will be once a month until the term ends. October is going to be extremely busy, everything is coming down the pipeline then, so updates for that month may or may not happen. Please be patient, I'm a student who is dealing with life in addition to school work. I will try to keep up, and the story will definitely be finished. – Athena's Wisdom90

P.S This is so late it is not even funny.

**10/17/2011: **Edit: As my sister notified me, I had an error in here, Lily said "my seventh year" instead of her sixth, it is her sixth and I have fixed it now, thanks and sorry! Another thing: catching the snitch is not essential to winning the match, it just gives a HUGE bonus. James was a Seeker for his first through fifth year, he switched to Chaser for the girls primarily (there is a J.K Rowling interview on the web that addresses this), but he was a damn good player, so he definitely helped Gryffindor out. They had enough points assembled that Ravenclaw's snitch capture didn't make too big a difference. XD

**Answering Review stuff: **

Huntinghorcruxes: Thanks, I um... so did not know that. Urgh... Well, um, thanks! I will use that next time! Consider this AU then, I didn't see it in the book, though... ugh.

Some other stuff: Yeah, there is just one Head Girl and Boy. XD I didn't say there were multiples, there are fifth, sixth, and seventh year PREFECTS for EACH HOUSE, though. To clarify. XD Thanks for the reviews! I hate being inaccurate... ugh, I read the books and I'm not on Pottermore, though I should be... gawd. Paper-writing is rotting my head... in a good way, but blegh. Don't hesitate to point out errors in my stuff, just be constructive, and thanks guys and gals! I appreciate it! :3


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